-'■' ■   ..■^^-^--    -.J--^^r   .--.>.   ^^-.■-.   ^.      w ^     -.■.-L^,.-^-^...      ,        -      ~-i.|,|-^|,   I, 


v^^^'-'-w  \.^    is 


LIFE 


OF 


JOHN  WESLEY 


BY  THE  REV.  B.  W.  BOND, 

Of  the  Baltimore  Conference. 


With  an  Introduction  by  Bishop  A.  W.  Wilson,  D.D 


"Methodism  is  Christianity  in  Earnest." 


Nashville,  Tenn.  : 

Publishing  House  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  South. 

Barbee  &  Smith,  Agents. 

1891. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1883, 

By  B.  W.  bond, 

in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


/3X 


EDITOR'S  NOTE. 
c«  

fc  

tn  The  author  has  so  grouiied  the  leading  events  in  the  life 

>-      of  Mr.  Wesley  as  to  present  in  a  s.  iall  compass  a  fair  and 

«C       distinct  likeness  of  the  great  Founder  of  Methodism.     It  is 

aa       a  miniature  representation,  but  large  and  distinct  enough 

-^       to  give  our  young  people  a  correct  idea  of  the  man  and  his 

work.     We  think  the  book  opporti;ae,  and  trust  it  will  do 

^       much  good.  Our  children  should  be 'aught  to  know  and  ven- 

in       erate  the  character  of  the  man  who  has  done  so  much  for 

>       the  world,  and  to  whom  we  as  a  Church  are  indebted  for 

z       our  existence.     It  is  a  fault  of  the  present  generation  ol 

Methodists  that  they  know  so  little  about  him.     We  place 

this  memoir  in  our  catalogue  with  the  hope  that  it  will  soon 

O        find  its  way  into  every  Sunday-school  library  in  the  land, 

^        and  that  it  may  stimulate  thousands  to  a  better  life. 

O  W.  G.  E.  CUNNYNGHAM, 

fi  Suaday-school  Editor. 

'"  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Feb.,  1885. 

:s.  ■  ^  ■ 


447333 


F  REFACE. 

The  older  biographies  of  Mr.  Wesley  are  deficient  in 
many  details  which  have  since  been  published,  and  which 
are  necessary  to  a  complete  and  distinct  understanding  of 
the  man  and  his  work.  On  the  other  hand,  Tyerman's 
"Life  and  Times  of  John  Wesley,"  while  it  will  proba- 
bly always  remain  the  standard  classic  history  of  the  illus- 
trious Founder  of  Methodism,  is  too  voluminous  to  ob- 
tain a  general  reading  in  this  busy  age.  Hence  the  pres- 
ent attempt  to  give  a  brief  and  popular  but  still  a  correct 
and  adequate  resume  of  all  the  more  characteristic  incidents 
of  Mr.  Wesley's  life,  such  as  might  help  to  excite  or  deep- 
en, particularly  among  the  young,  an  interest  in  "those 
doctrines  and  usages  of  early  Methodism  that  have  contrib- 
uted under  God  to  its  spiritual  power."  The  facts  narrated, 
Avhich  for  the  most  part  are  the  common  heritage  of  Meth- 
odism, have  been  largely  taken  from  Tyerman,  and  sometimes 
verbatim.  "  Wesley's  Journal,"  the  "  Memorials  of  the  Wes- 
ley Family,"  and  other  authorities,  have  contributed  in  the 
same  way.  A  very  large  part  of  the  book  consists  in  quo 
tations  from  Wesley  himself,  in  which  he  is  left  to  tell  his 
own  story.  The  selection  and  grouping  of  the  incidents, 
however,  are  the  author's  own  work.  In  hope  that  it  may 
be  found  successful  in  accomplishing  the  object  proposed, 
he  offers  it  to  the  favorable  consideration  of  the  reader. 
(6) 


CONTENTS. 

Cis  rf:ODUCTiON  (by  Bishop  Wilson) 9-11 

CHAPTER  I. 
Ej)wortli — The  Wesley  Family — The  Rev.  Samuel  Wesley 
— Mrs.  Susanna  Wesley — Fire — Wesley's   Childhood — • 
The    Charterhouse  —  Epworth    Noises  —  Oxford  —  Un- 
saved    13-31 

CHAPTER  II. 
The  College  Porter— "  Works  of  the  Law"— The  Ministry 
— Fellow  of  Lincoln — Fruitless  Preaching — Charles  Wes- 
ley— George  Whitefield — The  Oxford  Club — Death  of 
Mr.  Wesley — Georgia  —  The  Moravians  —  High-church- 
isra — Conversion 32-58 

CHAPTER  IIL 
A  Dark  Hour — The  Methodist  Revival — Outdoor  Preach- 
ing—  Beau  Nash  —  Persecution  —  The  Foundry — The 
United  Societies — Lay  Preachers — Strange  Scenes — Cal- 
vinism —  Class-meetings  —  The  Itinerancy  —  Preaching 
from  his  Father's  Tombstone — Death  of  Mrs.  Wesley — 
Mobs — Happy  Deaths — Learning 59-100 

CHAPTER  IV. 

First  Conferences  —  Ireland — Arrested  —  John  Nelson  — 
Helping  the  Poor — Education — Personal  Appearance — 
Sanctification  — Apostolical  Succession — "  Harmless  Di- 
versions"— Happy  Experiences — Methodist  Soldiers — 
Converted  Children 101-121 

CHAPTER  V. 

Toils  and  Dangers — Grimshaw — Charles  Wesley's  Mar- 
riage— True  Religion — Grace  Murray — The  Earthquake 
— Taming  the  Shrews — Preachers 122-132 

(7) 


8  Contents. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Controversies — Wesley's  Marriage — "Sifting"  the  I'reacli- 
ers  —  Calvinism  —  Scotland  —  Very  111  —  An  Invalid's 
Rest 133-140 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Separation — Sanctified  Fanaticism — The  Poor  Actor — Tlie 
Use  of  Money  —  Berridge  —  Shirley — "Softness" — Per- 
sonal Appearance 141-153 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Chapel  Debts — Finances — Rules  of  Discipline — Profitable 
Conversation — Rules  for  a  Revival — First  College  Ap- 
pointments— Whitefield's  Death — Happy  Experiences — 
AVesley  Sick — Tlie  Work  of  a  Methodist  Preacher — A 
None-such — The  Sin  of  Screaming 154-173 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Discipline — Works  of  Charity — Sunday-schools — Labors — 
Late  Sleeping — Asbury — Silas  Told — Fletcher — in  Hol- 
land—A Novel 174-18P 

CHAPTER  X. 

Deed  of  Declaration — Organization  of  the  Church  in  Amer- 
ica— Ordination — Virtual  Separation — Consecration  of 
Coke — Ceaseless  Labors — Dancing  and  Novel-reading — 
Proper  Style  of  Preaching— Beautiful  Old  Age..  186-198 

CHAPTER  XI. 

The  Better  Land  in  View— Fletcher's  Death— Charles 
Wesley's  Death — Beginning  of  the  End — Dangers  and 
Duty  of  the  Rich— Wesley's  Example— Last  Sermons 
—Last  Illness— "The  Clouds  Drop  Fatness"— Wesley 
Rests  from  his  Labors 199-216 


INTRODUCTION. 

BY  BISHOP  A.  \V.  WILSON,  D.D. 

This  is  not  an  attempt  to  furnish  a  new  life  of  Mr.  Wes- 
ley.  Very  little  can  now  be  added  to  the  materials  that 
have  accumulated  in  the  last  century,  and  it  would  be  diffi- 
cult to  find  a  new  point  of  view  from  which  to  contemplate 
the  character  and  work  of  the  Founder  of  Methodism.  The 
aim  of  the  writer  of  tlie  following  pages  has  been  simply  to 
bring  the  history  of  the  man  and  his  labors  within  the  com- 
pass of  a  volume  that  may  not  seem  ponderous  for  the  av- 
erage reader,  especially  among  the  young.  If  he  shall  suc- 
ceed in  attracting  the  attention  of  the  young,  and  inducing 
them  to  acquaint  themselves  with  the  principles  and  proc- 
esses of  the  great  Methodist  movement  as  they  are  illus- 
trated in  the  life  of  Jolin  Wesley,  he  will  have  done  a  good 
work  for  the  Church  of  the  next  generation. 

In  the  enlightenment  of  the  world  and  the  training  of 
the  Church,  it  is  to  men  we  must  look.  Events  have  their 
significance  and  influence  only  as  they  express  character 
and  tell  of  vital  energies  producing  them.  Every  great 
advance  in  the  history  of  our  race  is  signalized  by  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  man  fitted  for  leadership.  The  Church  of  the 
Covenant  begins  its  course  with  the  call  of  Abraham,  the 
father  of  all  them  that  believe.  The  Church  under  the 
law  takes  its  rise  from  the  choice  of  Moses  the  lawgiver. 
Prophecy  is  incarnated  in  Samuel  and  Elijah.  The  Son  of 
man  is  the  final  expression  of  the  truth  and  power  of  all 
that  had  gone  before  him ;  while  from  him,  as  God  mani 

(9) 


10  Iidrodactlon. 


fest  in  tlie  flesh,  proceeded  tlie  whole  energy  that  was  to 
renovate  the  nations  and  save  the  world. 

The  fulfillment  of  the  purpose  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  was 
committed  to  human  ministry.  Peter,  John,  Paul,  and  their 
fellow-laborers  and  sufierers,  were,  in  their  proper  persons, 
the  exponents  of  the  mind  of  their  Lord,  and  by  the  in- 
tenseness  of  their  human  sensibilities  and  energies  gave 
new  and  higher  demonstration  of  the  truth  that  to  do  his 
will  in  the  world  God  worketh  in  men,  and  hath  commit- 
ted tlie  ministry  of  reconciliation  to  men. 

It  is  as  it  always  has  been :  when  God  has  a  work  to  do, 
he  prepares  a  man  to  do  it.  The  men  whom  he  has  called 
are  the  focal-points  of  human  history.  The  light  has  con- 
verged upon  them  and  radiated  from  them.  Wycliffe  and 
PIuss,  Luther  and  Calvin,  and  Knox  and  Wesley — how 
would  the  history  have  been  changed  had  these  not  ap- 
peared! Another  civilization  and  another  Church  would 
have  been  about  us  had  they  not  lived ;  and  we  need  not 
hesitate  to  say  a  darker  civilization  and  a  feebler  Church; 
nay,  would  there  have  been  a  Church  ?  The  forms  of  su- 
jjerstition  and  priestcraft  would  have  been  perpetuated  un- 
doubtedly as  the  most  effective  agencies  for  the  subjugation 
of  mind  and  the  inthrallm'ent  of  will  that  the  mind  has 
ever  known.  But  the  Church,  as  Christ  gave  it — luminous, 
radiant,  dispelling  darkness,  ennobling  men,  lifting  them  to 
the  consciousness  of  manhood  in  Christ,  enfranchising  them, 
offering  them  the  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God,  the  freedom 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven — would  surely  have  had  no  place 
among  men  to-day  had  these  first-born  of  God  not  come. 

Happy  the  generation,  the  Church,  that  takes  note  of 
Buch  men,  and  follows  them  as  -they  followed  Christ  1  We 
do  no  wi'ong  to  the  Master  in  honoring  them.  We  but 
glorify  God  in  them.     The  error  and  fault  of  the  present 


Iiitroduchon.  11 

generation  of  Methodists  are  tliat  they  know  too  little  of 
John  Wesley  and  the  men  who  wrought  with  him  in  his 
great  struggle  for  human  souls — for  all  human  souls.  They 
know  nothing  of  the  intense  convictions  whicli  impelled 
him  to  the  achievement  of  his  broad  pui-pose,  the  spiritual 
wisdom  which  guided  him  along  providential  ways  to  the 
settlement  of  the  wonderful  economy — one  and  many — in 
England  and  America  which  has  conserved  the  fruits  of  his 
labors,  and  the  preternatural  experience,  evincing  the  high 
possibilities  of  our  humanity,  which  attested  the  genuine- 
ness of  his  convictions  and  gave  the  key-note  to  the  testi- 
mony of  the  Church  for  the  ages  to  come.  For  our  young 
people  this  knowledge  is  indispensable.  No  man  can  know 
Methodism  who  does  not  know  John  Wesley. 

Our  prayer  is  that  this  endeavor  to  bring  the  man  and 
his  work  within  reach  of  all  our  people  may  be  successful 
in  the  largest  measure,  and  that  thousands  may  here  find 
impulse  and  inducement  to  such  large  study  of  Wesley  and 
Methodism  as  may  yield  the  best  fruits  in  experience,  life, 
and  labor. 


SON,  Alphens  Waters,  M.  E.  bishop,  b 
more,  Md.,  in  1834.  His  father,  Rev.  Nor- 
Ison.  was  a  well  -  known  minister  of  the 
1st  Episcopal  church  in  Marylaadjiiid  Vir- 

The  son  was  educated  in  Baltiiiiorelind 
gton,  and  pursued  the  studv  of  medicine, 

it  for  the  ministry.  When  he  was  about 
1  years  old  he  united  with  the  Baltimore 
ice  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and 

idly,  taking  some  of  the  best  appointments  '                 -,    -,           ii     „ 

more  and  other  parts  of  the  conference  ion.     In  1881  he  attended  as  a  delega 

)rs  having  impaired  his  health,  he  pursued  ical  conference  m  London,  reatling 

dy  of    law.   but  as  soon   as    his   physical  le  "Influence  of  Methodism  on  otb 

'n  improved  resumed  the  ministrv.   "Dur-  ons,"    which    was    published    in    u 

civil   war    the   Baltimore   conference   of  3   of    the  conference,   and   gave  ^gie 

hodist  Episcopal  church,  south,  was  oro-an-  .    He  has  also  written  a  work  on     Mi 

d  he  identified  himself  with  it,  and   has  shville,  1882).     In  1882  he  was  elect, 

•cted  four  times  to  its  general  conference,  ^^pacy,  being  chosen  on  tlie  hrst  baiu 

he  became  secretary  of  the  Board  of  mis-  Ison  is  a  remarkable  preacher,  ana,  e 

nd  a  great  change  took  place  under  his  compelled  by  sickness  to  suspend  r 

labors,  nu.  been  attentive  and  successful  in  e^e 
work  committed  to  his  care.    In  1888  he  set  out 

• ,„1   *■„„..  ovr,nnrl   the  WOrUl. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  WESLEY, 


CHAPTER  I. 

Epworth — The  Wesley  Family — The  Rev.  Samuel  Wesley 
—  Airs.  Susanna  Wesley — Fire — Wesley's  Childhood — 
The  Charterhouse — Epworth  Noises — Oxford — Unsaved. 

NEARLY  two  hundred  years  ago — June  17, 
1703 — in  a  rectory  in  Lincoln  county,  on  the 
east  coast  of  England,  the  hero  of  our  narrative  was 
born.  Epworth,  the  little  town  where  he  first  saw 
the  light,  consisted  principally  of  a  long,  straggling 
street  of  small  houses  situated  in  the  middle  of  a 
narrow  strip  of  land  between  three  rivers.  The  coun- 
try round  about  was  a  low-lying  plain  intersected 
with  numerous  creeks  and  so-called  rivers  running 
in  from  the  adjacent  sea.  A  large  part  of  it  had 
but  lately  been  reclaimed  from  the  swamj^s  by  drain- 
ing, and,  still  comparatively  barren,  stretched  flat 
and  monotonous  on  one  side  toward  the  sea,  and 
was  closed  in  by  low,  dun  hills  on  the  horizon  on 
the  other.  As  might  be  expected,  the  people  both 
of  the  town  and  country  were  rough,  illiterate,  and 
needy.  Schools,  even  the  most  rudimentary,  were 
very  few  and  very  poor.     Books  were  scarce  and 

(13) 


14  Life  of  John  Wesley - 

dear,  and  newspapers  almost  unknown.     Commu' 
nication  with  the  outside  world  by  stage  or  private 
conveyance  was  difficult  and  unfrequent  over  the 
miserable  roads  they  then  had,  and  few  went  or 
came  to  add  freshness  and  information  to  the  mo- 
notonous and  restricted  life  of  the  obscure  little 
place.     There  did  not  seem  to  be  much  hope  for  the 
future  of  the  family  in  the  rectory  standing  there 
at  one  end  of  the  long  street  and  filled  with  children 
from  young  Samuel,  the  oldest,  down  to  the  babe  in 
the  cradle.     The  face  of  the  landscape,  the  state  of 
society  about  them,  the  want  of  schools  and  all  oth- 
er means  of  culture  in  the  town  and  neighborhood, 
were  such  as  to  repress  every  aspiration,  and  prom- 
ised only  hopeless   inferiority  of  mind  and  influ- 
ence.    Had  ]Mr.  Wesley,  their  father,  been  rich,  the 
prospect  would  have  appeared  brighter,  since  he 
could  then  have  procured  the  means  of  improve- 
ment for  his  family.     But  he  had  long  been  bur- 
dened with  the  heaviest  poverty.     His  salary  was 
only  about  one  hundred  and  thirty  pounds  a  year 
clear  money,  and  there  were  nineteen  children  born, 
ten  of  whom  lived  to  be  grown.     He  was  not  a  very 
good  manager,  and  when  he  undertook  to  carry  on 
the  rectory  farm,  as  he  did,  he  made  more  debts 
than  crops.     He  had  the  misfortune,  too,  of  having 
his  barn  fall  down.     One  year  his  crop  of  flax  was 
burned.     For  some  years  he  was  not  popular  with  hia 
parishioners,  on  account  of  his  politics  and  other 


Tlie  Wesley  Family.  15 

reasons,  and  his  cattle  were  stabbed  in  the  fields. 
His  house  also  was  burned  twice — once  partially, 
and  at  another  time  down  to  the  ground.  Three 
times  he  was  elected  to  represent  the  diocese  in  con- 
vocation at  London,  to  attend  w'hich  he  was  obliged 
to  employ  a  curate  for  his  jDarish  at  home  and  to 
incur  other  expenses,  amounting  in  all  to  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  pounds.  All  this  kept  them  very 
poor.  Thirteen  years  after  the  rectory  was  rebuilt 
Mrs.  Wesley  writes:  "The  house  is  still  not  half  fur- 
nished, and  I  and  the  children  have  not  more  than 
half  enough  clothing."  "Endless  duns  and  debts" 
are  spoken  of  in  after  years  by  one  of  the  daughters, 
and  a  want  of  sufiicient  clothes  for  the  family.  On 
one  occasion  Mr.  Wesley  was  put  in  jail  by  a  hard- 
hearted creditor  for  a  debt  of  thirty  pounds  which 
he  could  not  joay,  and  there  he  was  forced  to  remain 
three  mouths,  until  his  friends  could  help  him ;  his 
family  meantime  living  on  milk  and  bread  raised  on 
the  farm,  and  cared  for  solely  by  the  unfaltering 
courage  and  devotion  of  Mrs.  Wesley.  "  Tell  me, 
Mrs.  Wesley,"  once  asked  the  Archbishop  of  York, 
"whether  you  ever  really  wanted  bread."  "My 
lord,"  said  she,  "I  will  fi'eely  own  to  your  grace 
that,  strictly  speaking,  I  never  did  want  bread.. 
But  then  I  had  so  much  care  to  get  it  before  it  was 
eat,  and  to  pay  for  it  after,  as  has  often  made  it  very 
unpleasant  to  me;  and  I  think  to  have  bread  on 
such  terms  is  the  next  degree  of  wretchedness  to 


16  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

having  none  at  .all."  And  Mr.  Wesley  writes:  "I 
have  had  but  three  children  born  since  I  came  hith- 
er about  three  years  since,  but  another  coming,  and 
my  wife  incapable  of  any  business  in  my  family  as 
she  has  been  for  almost  a  quarter  of  a  year,  yet  we 
have  but  one  maid-servant,  to  retrench  all  possible 
expenses.  Ten  pounds  a  year  I  allow  my  mother 
to  help  keep  her  from  starving.  All  which  together 
keeps  me  necessitous,  especially  since  interest-money 
begins  to  pinch  me,  and  I  am  always  called  on  for 
money  before  I  make  it,  and  must  buy  every  thing 
at  the  worst  hand ;  whereas  could  I  be  so  happy  as 
to  get  on  the  right  side  of  my  income,  I  should  not 
fear,  by  God's  help,  but  to  live  honestly  in  the  world, 
and  to  leave  a  little  to  my  children  after  me.  I 
think  as  'tis  I  could  perhaps  work  it  out  in  time, 
in  half  a  dozen  or  half  a  score  of  years,  if  my  heart 
should  hold  so  long ;  but  for  that  God's  will  be  done." 
Nevertheless,  scarcely  was  there  a  family  ever  heard 
of  so  remarkable  for  virtue,  intelligence,  and  distinc- 
tion. John  Wesley,  the  second  son  and  the  subject 
of  our  biography,  was  one  of  the  most  wonderful 
men  that  history  mentions.  Samuel,  the  eldest, 
was  early  noted  for  his  genius  and  wit,  and  grew 
up  to  be  a  learned  and  talented  author,  a  friend  of 
Addison,  Pope,  and  Prior,  and  others  of  the  great- 
est authors  of  his  time.  The  third  and  youngest 
son,  Charles,  was  the  finest  sacred  poet  of  modern 
times  and  i)erhaps  that  ever  lived,  and  in  some  other 


Hesults  of  Godly  Training.  17 

respects  was  not  much  inferior  to  John.  The  seven 
daughters  were  also  all  possessed  of  superior  qual- 
ities of  mind  and  character.  Emilia  was  distin- 
guished for  her  grace  of  person,  her  gifts,  and  her 
exquisite  taste  in  music  and  poetry.  Mary  was 
beautiful  of  face  and  in  character,  though  short 
and  deformed  in  body.  Anne  and  Susanna  mar- 
I'ied  badly  and  were  unhappy,  but  exhibited  in 
their  sad  lives  traits  of  surpassing  patience  and 
loveliness  of  character.  Mehetabel,  almost  un- 
equaled  in  her  attainments,  learned  to  read  in 
Greek  at  the  age  of  nine,  while  her  poetical  gifts, 
accomplishments,  and  personal  appearance  were  all 
of  the  highest  order.  Martha  strongly  resembled 
her  brother  John  in  person  and  mind.  Refined  in 
feeling  and  wise  in  counsel,  she  was  honored  with 
the  friendship  and  society  of  the  great  Dr.  Samuel 
Johnson.  Hezzy,  the  youngest,  died  unmarried  at 
an  early  age,  after  a  disappointment,  "  full  of  thank- 
fulness, resignation,  and  love." 

To  what  cause  can  we  ascribe  such  results  under 
such  circumstances?  For  answer  we  must  look  to 
the  home  alone  where  these  children  were  reared. 
There  was  no  other  agency  at  Epworth.  And  it  is 
the  character  and  methods  of  management  of  the 
parents  that  determine  the  character  of  the  home. 
The  example  of  the  Wesley  family  teaches  that 
where  these  are  what  they  should  be  there  is  every 
thing  to  hope  for  in  the  children,  no  matter  what 
2 


18  L'lj'c  of  John  Wcdey. 

poverty  or  surrounding  discouragements  may  oi> 
press  them. 

Both  Rev.  Samuel  Wesley,  the  father,  and  Mrs. 
Susanna  Wesley,  his  wife,  were  descended  from  an- 
cestors as  distinguished  for  their  courage  and  adher- 
ence to  principle  as  they  were  for  their  intelligence 
and  piety  —  the  father  and  grandfather  cfp  Mr. 
Wesley  and  the  father  of  Mrs.  Wesley  all  being 
ministers.  Mr.  Wesley  himself  was  "earnest,  con- 
scientious, and  indefatigable  in  his  search  after 
truth,"  and  became  a  learned  and  accomplished 
author.  In  person  short  of  stature — for  all  the 
Wesleys  were  small,  none  being  more  than  five  feet 
six  inches  in  height,  and  John  weighing  but  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-two  pounds.  He  w  as  affectionate 
and  vivacious  toward  his  children,  yet  a  rigid  dis- 
ciplinarian. Indefatigable  in  his  pastoral  labors, 
he  lived  to  see  all  enmity  against  him  disappear 
among  his  parishioners,  and  to  enjoy  universal  re- 
spect and  love.  He  was  so  absorbed  by  his  liter- 
ary and  other  labors  that  the  care  of  the  large  fam- 
ily fell  mainly  upon  his  faithful  wife,  Mrs.  Susanna 
Wesley — a  name  never  to  be  forgotten  among  wives 
and  mothers.  Moving  among  her  large  family  and 
under  the  pressing  burdens  and  perplexities  of  pov- 
erty, she  performed  her  manifold  and  ceaseless  house- 
hold duties  with  the  utmost  order,  method,  and 
economy.  She  would  seem  to  have  had  enough  to 
do  in  the  ordinary  labors  necessary  for  the  care  of 


3Irs.  Susanna  Wesley.  19 


so  many  dependent  upon  her.  But  in  addition  she 
has  in  large  part  to  manage  the  business  of  the 
rectory  farm;  she  alone,  with  some  little  assist- 
ance from  her  husband,  must  educate  her  seven 
daughters  to  be  accomplished  women,  and  prepare 
her  three  sons  for  entrance  into  the  higher  schools 
of  learning;  while  in  the  fi'equent  absence  of  Mr, 
Wesley  she  takes  the  spiritual  charge  of  her  chil- 
dren and  servants,  and  sometimes  even  of  her  neigh- 
bors. Beautiful  and  graceful  in  person,  she  also 
has  a  strong  and  active  mihd,  which  she  does  not 
neglect  to  cultivate  by  reading  and  thinking.  Ev- 
ery morning  and  evening  she  retires  to  her  room 
to  spend  an  hour  in  secret  devotion,  a  habit  she 
says  she  formed  at  thirty,  when  family  cares  began 
to  increase  and  she  felt  the  need  of  more  prayer  to 
be  fitted  to  perform  them.  Therefore,  she  is  now 
able  to  pursue  her  affairs  with  the  greatest  dili- 
gence, wisdom,  and  calm  serenity.  The  children 
are  all  governed  exactly — by  rule.  When  each 
child  is  one  year  old  it  is  taught  to  fear  the  rod, 
and  if  it  cries  at  all,  to  "  cry  softly."  Each  one  is 
taught  the  Lord's  Prayer  as  soon  as  it  can  speak, 
and  to  repeat  it  every  morning  and  every  night. 
School  is  kept  up  in  the  house  by  the  mother,  and 
is  opened  and  closed  with  the  singing  of  psalms 
by  the  children.  Twice  a  day  each  of  the  older 
children  takes  one  of  the  younger — the  oldest  tak- 
ing the  youngest,  and  so  on — and  reads  to  them  a 


20  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

Psalm  and  a  chapter  in  the  New  Testament;  after 
which  both  older  and  younger  retire  for  secret 
prayer.  Every  evening  the  mother  takes  in  turn 
one  of  the  children  by  itself — "  Molly  on  Monday, 
Hetty  on  Tuesday,  Nancy  on  Wednesday,  Jacky  on 
Thursday,  Patty  on  Friday^  Charles  on  Saturday, 
and  Emilia  and  Sukey  together  ou  Sunday  " — and 
talks  to  them  as  to  their  spiritual  state,  with  coun- 
sels and  exhortations  suited  to  their  capacity.  O 
that  mothers  everywhere  might  thus  feel  the  sol- 
emn responsibility  of  the  tender  souls  committed  to 
their  charge! 

Thus  did  this  faithful  mother  labor  in  her  house. 
Their  tempers  and  manners  also  were  her  constant 
care.  None  were  allowed  to  have  any  thing  they 
cried  for,  because  that  would  teach  them  to  cry. 
Politeness  was  required  of  all  from  one  to  another, 
and  even  toward  the  lowest  servants.  All  their 
doings — their  going  to  bed,  their  rising,  their  dress- 
ing, eating,  exercise,  etc.— were  strictly  regulated  by 
rule.  Well  may  it  be  doubted  whether  a  more  illus- 
ti'ious  woman  has  ever  appeared — one  more  faith- 
ful, more  wise,  more  holy.  "I  have  traced  her 
life,"  says  Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  "  with  much  pleasure, 
and  received  from  it  much  instruction ;  and  when 
I  have  seen  her  repeatedly  grappling  with  gigantic 
adversities,  I  have  adored  the  grace  of  God  that 
was  in  her,  and  have  not  been  able  to  repress  my 
tears.     I  have  been  acquainted  with  many  pious 


Wedeif-i  Childhood — Fii-e.  21 

women;  I  have  read  the  lives  of  several  others, 
and  composed  memoirs  of  a  few ;  but  such  a  wom- 
an, take  her  for  all  in  all,  I  have  not  heard  of, 
I  have  not  read  of,  nor  with  her-  equal  have 
I  been  acquainted.  Many  daughters  have  done 
virtuously,  but  Susanna  Wesley  has  excelled  them 
all."  Here  Avas  the  secret:  The  Wesley  children 
attained  their  high  renown,  under  the  blessing  of 
God,  from  the  character  and  nurture  of  their  par- 
ents, especially  of  their  mother;  and  their  parents 
discharged  their  duties  toward  their  children  Avith 
such  superior  excellence  chiefly  because  they  fi-amed 
their  own  lives  and  the  lives  of  their  family  not 
as  prompted  by  inclination  or  according  to  the  max- 
ims and  customs  of  the  W'Orld  around  them,  but  as 
they  found  them  directed  by  the  unerring  and 
eternal  Word  of  God. 

The  recorded  events  of  John  Wesley's  childhood 
are  few.  The  most  remarkable  was  his  escape  from 
the  fire  which  destroyed  his  father's  house.  "  Feb- 
ruary 9,"  writes  his  mother  some  months  after  it 
occurred,  "  between  the  hours  of  eleven  and  twelve, 
our  house  took  fire,  by  what  accident  God  only 
knows.  It  was  discovered  by  some  sparks  falling 
from  the  roof  upon  a  bed  where  one  of  the  children 
lay,  and  burnt  her  feet:  she  immediately  ran  to 
our  chauilier  and  called  us ;  but  I  believe  no  one 
heard  her,  ior  Mr.  Wesley  was  alarmed  by  a  cry 
of  fire  in  the  street;  upon  which  he  rose,  little  im- 


22  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

agining  that  his  own  house  was  ou  fire;  but  on 
opening  his  door  heibund  that  it  was  full  of  smoke, 
and  that  the  roof  was  already  burnt  through.  He 
immediately  came  to  my  room  (as  I  was  very  ill  he 
lay  in  a  separate  room  from  me)  and  bid  me  and 
my  two  eldest  daughters  rise  quickly  and  shift  for 
our  lives,  the  house  being  all  on  fire.  Then  he  ran 
and  burst  open  the  nursery  door,  and  called  the 
maid  to  bring  out  the  children.  The  two  little  ones 
lay  in  bed  with  her — the  three  others  in  another 
bed.     She  snatched  up  the  youngest,  and  bid  the 

rest  follow,  which  they  did,  except  Jacky 

While  Mr.  Wesley  was  carrying  the  children  into 
the  garden  he  heard  the  child  in  the  nursery  cry 
out  miserably  for  help,  which  extremely  affected 
him;  but  his  afiliction  was  much  increased  when 
he  had  several  times  attempted  the  stairs  then  ou 
fire  and  found  they  would  not  bear  his  weight. 
Finding  it  was  impossible  to  get  near  him,  he  gave 
him  up  for  lost,  and  kneeling  down  he  commended 
his  soul  to  God,  and  left  him,  as  he  thought,  per- 
ishing in  the  flames."  But  the  child  was  preserved. 
This  is  his  account  of  what  happened  in  his  roona 
when  he  awoke  in  it  alone:  "Seeing  the  room  was 
very  light,  I  called  to  the  maid  to  take  me  up. 
But  none  answering,  I  put  my  head  out  of  the  cur- 
tain and  saAV  streaks  of  fire  on  the  top  of  the  room. 
I  got  up  and  ran  to  the  door,  but  could  get  no 
farther,  all  the  floor  lieyond  it  being  in  a  blaze.     I 


"  iSoii  John  "  Preserved.  23 

then  climbed  upon  a  chest  tliat  stood  near  the  win- 
dow; one  in  the  yard  saw  me,  and  projjosed  run- 
ning to  fetch  a  ladder.  Another  answered:  'There 
will  not  be  time;  but  I  have  thought  of  another 
expedient.  Here,  I  will  fix  myself  against  the 
wall ;  lift  a  light  man  and  set  him  on  my  shoulders.' 
They  did  so,  and  he  took  me  out  of  the  window. 
Just  then  the  roof  fell;  but  it  fell  inward,  or  we 
had  all  been  crushed  at  once.  When  they  brought 
me  into  the  house  where  my  father  was,  he  cried 
out:  'Come,  neighbors,  let  us  kneel  down!  Let  us 
give  thanks  to  God!  He  has  given  me  all  my 
eight  children ;  let  the  house  go  —  I  am  rich 
enough ! ' " 

This  wonderful  2)reservation  seemed  to  point  out 
that  he  was  reserved  by  Divine  Providence  for  some 
special  purpose.  His  mother  evidently  so  regarded 
it;  and  two  years  afterward,  when  he  was  about 
eight  years  old,  in  one  of  her  "meditations,"  which 
she  was  accustomed  to  write  during  her  hours  of 
devotion,  she  says: 

"Evening,  May  17,  1711. 

"Son  John.  What  shall  I  render  to  the  Lord  for 
all  his  mercies?  The  little  unworthy  praise  that  I 
can  offer  is  so  mean  and  contemptible  an  offering 
that  I  am  even  ashamed  to  tender  it.  But,  Lord, 
accept  it  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  and  pardon  the  de- 
ficiency of  the  sacrifice.  I  would  offer  thee  myself 
and  all  that  thou  hast  given  me;  and  I  would  re- 


24  Lijc  of  John  Wesley. 

solve — O  give  lue  grace  to  do  it! — that  the  residue 
of  my  life  shall  all  be  devoted  to  thy  service.  And 
I  do  intend  to  be  more  particularly  careful  of  the 
soul  of  this  child  that  thou  hast  so  mer<;ifully  pro- 
vided for  than  ever  I  have  been,  that  I  may  do  my 
endeavor  to  instill  into  his  mind  the  principles  of 
thy  true  religion  and  virtue.  Lord,  give  me  grace 
to  do  it  sincerely  and  prudently,  and  bless  my  at- 
tempts with  good  success." 

God  did  bless  the  good  mother's  efforts,  and  her 
boy  early  displayed  an  uncommon  character  for 
piety,  though tfu Iness,  and  patient  endurance.  From 
early  childhood  he  was  remarkable  for  his  sober 
and  studious  disposition.  He  was  also  exceedingly 
conscientious,  and  seemed  to  feel  bound  to  answer 
the  demands  of  reason  and  right  in  every  thing  he 
did,  and  would  do  nothing  without  first  reflecting 
on  its  fitness  and  pi'opriety.  To  argue  about  a 
thing,  indeed,  seemed  even  then  to  be  instinctive. 
It  is  said  that  at  the  table  if  he  were  asked  if  he 
would  be  helped  to  any  tiling  which  it  was  unusual 
for  him  to  take,  he  would  first  consider  the  matter, 
and  reply,  "  I  will  think  about  it."  His  father  on 
<nie  occasion  said  to  him:  "Child,  you  think  to 
carry  every  thing  by  dint  of  argument;  but  you 
will  find  how  little  is  ever  done  in  the  world  by 
close  reasoning." 

Better  than  this,  he  was  religious  and  so  consist- 
ent that  his  father,  HiL;h-c!iurchuian  that  he  was, 


At  the  Charterhouse.  25 

and  living  far  back  in  the  last  century,  admitted 
him  to  the  communion-table  when  he  was  but  eight 
years  old.  Wesley  himself,  many  years  afterward, 
and  evidently  before  he  had  disentangled  himself 
fully  from  his  High-churchism,  said  that  until  ho 
was  about  the  age  of  ten  he  had  not  sinned  away 
that  "washing  of  the  Holy  Ghost"  which  he  re- 
ceived in  baptism.  This,  as  well  as  his  native 
courage  and  resolution,  was  shown  by  the  way  he 
endured  an  attack  of  that  dreadful  disease  small- 
pox while  his  father  was  away  fi-oin  home,  and 
when  he  was  less  than  nine  years  old.  "Jack," 
writes  his  mother  to  Mr.  Wesley,  "has  borne  his 
disease  bravely — like  a  man,  and  indeed  like  a 
Christian — without  complaint,  though  he  seemed 
angry  at  the  small-pox  when  they  were  sore,  as  we 
guessed  by  his  looking  sourly,  though  he  never 
said  any  thing." 

Such  was  John  Wesley  till  he  was  ten  and  a  half 
years  old.  He  was  then,  through  the  influence  of 
the  Duke  of  Buckingham,  admitted  a  pupil  into  the 
Charterhouse,  London.  This  was  a  distinguished 
school,  founded  by  Thomas  Sutton  in  1611  for  the 
maintenance  and  education  of  poor  boys.  Forty 
pupils  at  a  time  were  here  to  be  fed,  clothed,  and 
taught  free  of  expense.  The  building  had  been 
originally  occupied  as  a  monastery  by  Carthusian 
monks,  and  was  called  the  Charterhouse  from  Char- 
treux,   the    place   where    their    order   first    arose. 


20  Life  of  John  Wesley. 


Here  his  fortitude  aud  patience  were  severely  tried. 
A  poor  country  boy,  alone  at  school  in  London,  he 
endured  many  insults  and  injuries.  Fagging  waa 
prevalent,  and  among  other  hardships  borue  by  the 
younger  scholars,  they  had  to  suffer  the  want  of 
proper  and  sufficient  food.  The  older  boys  took 
fi'om  them  their  share  of  the  meat  they  received 
and  ate  it  themselves.  One  thing  that  helped  his 
health  was  his  strict  observance  of  his  father's 
command  to  "run  around  the  Charterhouse  garden 
three  times  every  morning."  But  he  must  have 
suffered  greatly.  When  he  went  to  Oxford  at  sev- 
enteen his  hea]J;h  was  far  from  strong,  and  once  he 
almost  choked  to  death  with  bleeding  from  the  nose, 
a  complaint  with  which  he  was  much  affected. 

Under  all  his  discouragements  he  maintained  a 
noble  cheerfulness  and  courage.  And  when  he 
himself  became  one  of  the  older  boys  he  did  not 
practice  the  same  cruelties  upon  those  beneath  him. 
On  the  contrary,  he  was  in  the  habit  of  associating 
with  them  a  great  deal,  and  haranguing  them 
when  gathered  together.  This  w'as  cited  afterward 
by  his  enemies  as  a  proof  of  his  ambitious  temper- 
ament; and  it  is  said  that  when  the  master  of  the 
school  had  remonstrated  with  him  on  his  seeking 
the  society  of  the  younger  boys  so  much  rather 
than  confining  himself  to  that  of  his  equals,  his 
answer  was,  "Better  to  rule  in  hell  than  serve  in 
heaven."     This  account  ninv  well  l)o  doubted.     It 


Ejnmrth  "Noises."  27 

is  not  probable  that  such  a  principle  should  have 
been  so  clearly  and  deliberately  adopted  by  a  boy 
as  young  as  he  was  then ;  and  it  is  very  improbable 
that  one  capable  of  doing  so  would  have  avowed 
the  fact  so  frankly.  Rather,  this  habit  shows  that 
he  was  kind  and  generous,  with  an  innate  propen- 
sity for  public  speaking  and  leadership,  and  speaks 
loudly  for  the  magnanimity  of  the  youth  who  could 
act  so  after  he  had  himself  received  such  ill  treat- 
ment from  those  who  were  older. 

The  account  of  this  period  of  his  life  would  be 
incomplete  without  some  reference  to  the  mysteri- 
ous noises  that  were  heard  in  his  father's  house  at 
Ep worth  while  he  was  at  the  Charterhouse :  "  Some- 
times moans  were  heard  as  from  a  person  dying ; 
at  others  it  swept  through  the  halls  and  along  the 
stairs  with  the  sound  of  a  person  trailing  a  loose 
go\\n  on  the  floor;  the  chamber-walls  meanwhile 
shook  with  vibrations.  Before  '  Jeffrey,'  as  the 
children  called  it,  came  into  any  room  the  latches 
were  frequently  lifted  up  and  the  windows  clat- 
tered. It  seemed  to  clap  the  doors,  draw  the  cur- 
tains, and  throw  the  man-servant's  shoes  up  and 
down.  The  mastiff  barked  violently  at  it  the  first 
day,  yet  whenever  it  came  afterward  he  ran  off 
whining  to  shelter  himself"  These  noises  con- 
tinued for  about  two  months,  and  then  ceased. 
Some  thought  they  were  produced  by  the  serv- 
ants    The  family  all  considered  them  supernatural, 


28  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

though  finding  that  no  harm  was  done  thereby  tiiey 
ceased  to  dread  them.  John,  who  was  then  but  a 
youth,  obtained  all  the  particulars  from  his  mother 
and  each  of  his  four  sisters,  and  was  deeply  im- 
pressed with  their  accounts.  Isaac  Taylor  thinks 
that  "  his  faculty  of  belief  was  thus  so  laid  open  that 
ever  after  a  right  of  Avay  for  the  supernatural  was 
o[)ened  through  his  mind;  and  to  the  end  of  life 
there  was  nothing  so  marvelous  that  it  could  not 
pass  where  'old  Jeffrey'  had  passed  before  it." 
Southey  thinks  with  Wesley  that  the  noises  were 
supernatural;  and  Tyerman  says:  "We  have  little 
doubt  that  the  Epworth  noises  deepened  and  most 
powerfully  increased  Wesley's  convictions  of  an 
unseen  world,  and  in  this  way  were  of  the  utmost 
consequence  in  molding  his  character  and  in  mak- 
ing him  one  of  the  most  earnest  preachers  of  the 
Christian's  creed  that  ever  lived." 

When  he  left  the  Charterhouse  at  sixteen  he  had, 
by  his  energy  of  character,  his  unconquerable  pa- 
tience, his  assiduity,  and  his  progress  in  learning, 
acquired  a  high  position  among  his  fellows.  In  the 
same  or  the  following  year  he  seems  to  have  been  a 
guest  and  pupil  of  his  brother  Samuel,  who  had  by 
that  time  risen  to  be  head  usher  of  Westminster 
school,  where  Charles  Avas  a  scholar.  And  Samuel 
writes  of  him  to  his  father:  "My  brother  Jack,  I 
can  faithfully  assure  you,  gives  you  no  manner  of 
discouragement    from   breeding   your  tliird    son    a 


His  Behavior  at  Oxford.  29 

scholar.  Jack  is  a  brave  boy,  learning  Hebrew  as 
fast  as  he  can." 

In  1720  he  obtained  one  of  the  Charterhouse 
scholarships  in  Christchurch  College,  Oxford. 
Here,  in  that  illustrious  seat  of  learning,  he  main- 
tained his  reputation  for  scholarship  Avhieh  he  had 
gained  at  the  Charterhouse.  He  was  of  a  gay  and 
sprightly  disposition,  full  of  wit  and  humor,  given 
to  writing  verses,  and  fond  of  lively  company.  In 
fact,  Wesley  at  this  period,  and  for  a  considerable 
time  before,  was  any  thing  but  serious-minded. 
While  he  was  at  school  distinguished  for  many 
most  excellent  qualities,  in  one  respect  he  had  fear- 
fully gone  backward.  O  the  dangers  besetting  a 
young  boy  away  from  home  in  a  godless  school! 
While  at  the  Charterhouse  young  Wesley  gained  in 
knowledge  but  lost  in  religion.  Of  this  period  he 
writes  afterward:  "Outward  restraints  being  re- 
moved, I  was  much  more  negligent  than  before, 
even  of  outward  duties,  and  almost  continually 
guilty  of  outward  sins,  which  I  knew  to  be  such, 
though  they  were  not  scandalous  in  the  eyes  of  the 
world.  However,  I  still  read  the  Scriptures  and 
said  my  prayers  morning  and  evening,  and  what  I 
now  hoped  to  be  saved  by  was:  (1)  Not  being  so 
bad  as  other  people;  (2)  having  still  a  kindness 
for  religion;  and  (3)  reading  the  Bible,  going  to 
church,  and  saying  my  prayers." 

Again  he  writes  of  himself  Avhen  at  Oxford:  "I 


oO  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

still  .said  my  prayers  both  in  public  and  privately; 
and  -read  with  the  Scriptures  several  other  booka 
of  religion,  especially  comments  on  the  New  Testa- 
ment, Yet  I  had  not  all  this  while  so  much  as  a 
notion  of  inward  holiness — nay,  went  on  habitually 
and  for  the  most  part  very  contentedly  in  some  one 
or  other  known  sin,  though  with  some  intermis- 
sions and  short  struggles,  especially  before  and  after 
the  holy  communion,  which  I  was  obliged  to  receive 
thrice  a  year." 

This  lamentable  truth  Avas  accompanied  with  its 
usual  inevitable  effects.  His  character  began  to 
deteriorate  in  important  respects.  Nothing  but  the 
giace  of  God  in  the  human  soul  can  keep  it  on  a 
high  plane.  His  letters  at  this  period  were  without 
religious  sentiment,  and  his  life  Avas  Avithout  relig- 
ious aim.  He  perhaps  thoughtlessly  contracted 
debts  greater  than  he  had  means  to  pay ;  and  there 
may  have  been  other  things.  .  We  find  his  father 
writing,  January  5,  1725: 

"Dear  Son:  Your  brother  will  receive  £5  for  you 

next  Saturday  if  Mr.  S is  paid  the  £10  he  lent 

you.     If  not,  I  must  go  to  H ,  but  I  promise 

you  I  sha'  n't  forget  that  you  are  my  son  if  you  do 
not  that  I  am  your  loving  father, 

"  Samuel  Wesley." 

And  again  he  Avrote,  January  26,  1725: 

"Dear  Son:  I  am  so  well  pleased  Avith  your  de- 
cent behavior,  or  at  least  Avith  your  letters,  that  I 


An  Irreligious  Career.  31 

hope  I  shall  have  no  occasion  to  remember  any 
more  some  things  that  are  past ;  and  since  you  have 
now  for  some  time  bit  upon  the  bridle,  I  will  take 
care  hereafter  to  put  a  little  honey  upon  it  as  oft  as 
I  am  able;  but  then  it  shall  be  of  my  own  mere 
motion,  as  the  last  £5  was,  for  I  will  bear  no  rivals 
in  my  kingdom.     Your  affectionate  father, 

'*  Samuel  Wesley." 
And  a  rather  frothy  letter  from  Kobert  Kirk- 
ham,  afterward  one  of  the  first  Methodists,  written 
as  late  as  1727,  talks  about  "a  dinner  of  calf's 
head  and  bacon,  with  some  of  the  best  green  cab- 
bage in  the  town,"  and  tapping  "  a  barrel  of  admi- 
rable cider,"  of  all  of  which  the  writer  wishes  Wes- 
ley might  have  been  a  partaker. 


'  CHAPTKR  II. 

Tl.e  College  Porter — "Works  of  the  Law" — The  Ministry 
— Fellow  of  Lincoln — Fruitless  Preaching — Charles  Wes- 
ley— George  Whitefield — The  Oxford  Club — Death  of 
Mr.  Wesley — Georgia  —  The  Moravians  —  High-ehurch- 
isni — Conversion. 

WHAT  were  the  sj^ecial  means  by  which  Wes- 
ley was  at  last  moved  to  forsake  his  life  of 
irreligion,  we  do  not  fully  know.  We  may  be  sure 
that  God's  Spirit  constantly  reproved  him  of  sin  and 
of  righteousness  and  of  the  judgment  to  come;  and 
doubtless  human  instrumentalities  were  not  want- 
ing. Perhaps  one  of  the  earliest,  and  certainly  one 
of  the  most  powerful  by  Wesley's  own  account,  was 
the  porter  of  his  college.  This  humble  but  faithful 
Christian  went  one  evening  to  talk  with  the  lively 
young  collegian  in  his  room.  After  indulging  in 
some  pleasantry,  Wesley  told  him  to  go  home  and 
get  another  coat.  The  porter  replied :  "  This  is  the 
only  coat  I  have  in  the  world,  and  I  thank  God  for 
it."  Wesley  said :  "  Go  home  and  get  your  supper." 
The  man  responded :  "  I  have  had  nothing  to-day 
but  a  drink  of  water,  and  I  thank  God  for  that." 
Wesley  remarked:  "It  is  late,  and  you  will  be 
locked  out ;  and  then  what  will  you  have  to  thank 
God  for?"  "I  will  thank  him,"  replied  the  porter, 
(32) 


Preparing  for  tlie  Ministry.  33 

•'that  I  liiive  the  dry  stones  to  lie  upon."  "John," 
said  Wesley,  "  you  thank  God  when  you  have  noth- 
ing to  wear,  nothing  to  eat,  and  no  bed  to  lie  upon. 
What  else  do  you  thank  him  for?"  "  I  thank  him," 
returned  the  poor  fellow,  "that  he  has  given  me  life 
and  being,  and  a  heart  to  lOve  him,  and  a  desire  to 
serve  him." 

Wesley  says  the  interview  made  a  lasting  impres- 
sion on  his  mind,  and  convinced  him  there  was 
something  in  religion  to  which  he  was  a  stranger, 
so  great  is  the  power  of  a  faithful  witness  and  a 
godly  life,  even  in  the  humblest  Christian.  Who 
can  tell  how  great  a  part  the  poor  porter  had  in 
turning  John  Wesley's  thoughts  and  affections  to- 
ward God,  and  thus  in  promoting  the  welfare  of  the 
world!  Whatever  other  agencies  there  may  have 
been  at  work,  it  is  certain  that  in  1725  we  find 
Wesley  thinking  of  the  ministry.  His  father  wrote 
him  that  "the  principal  motive  must  not  be,  as  Eli's 
sons,  'to  eat  a  piece  of  bread,'  but  for  the  glory  of 
God  and  the  good  of  men."  His  mother  wrote: 
"Dear  Jackey,  the  alteration  of  your  temper  has 
occasioned  me  much  speculation.  I  who  am  apt  to 
be  sanguine,  hope  it  may  proceed  from  the  operation 
of  God's  Holy  Spirit,  that  by  taking  away  your  rel- 
ish for  sensual  enjoyments,  he  may  prepare  and  dis- 
pose your  mind  for  a  more  serious  and  close  appli- 
cation to  things  of  a  more  sublime  and  spiritual 
nature.     If  it  be  so,  happy  are  you  if  you  cherish 


34  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

those  disposition?,  and  now  in  good  earnest  resolve 
to  make  religion  the  business  of  your  life ;  for  after 
all  that  is  the  one  thing  that,  strictly  speaking,  is 
necessary,  and  all  things  else  are  comparatively  lit- 
tle to  the  purpose  of  life.  I  heartily  wish  you  would 
now  enter  upon  a  serious  examination  of  yourself 
that  you  may  know  whether  you  have  a  reasonable 
hope  of  salvation." 

He  now  began  to  apply  himself  with  diligence 
to  a  thorough  reformation  of  life.  "When  I  was 
about  twenty-two,"  he  says,  "  the  providence  of  God 
directed  me  to  Kempis's  '  Christian  Pattern.'  I  be- 
gan to  see  that  true  religion  was  seated  in  the  heart, 
and  that  God's  law  extended  to  all  our  thoughts  as 
well  as  words  and  actions.  I  was,  however,  angry 
at  Kempis  for  being  too  strict,  though  I  read  him 
only  in  Dean  Stanhope's  translation ;  yet  I  had 
much  sensible  comfort  in  reading  him,  such  as  I 
was  an  utter  stranger  to  before.  Meeting  likewise 
with  a  religious  friend,  which  I  never  had  till  now, 
I  began  to  alter  the  whole  form  of  my  conversation, 
and  to  set  in  earnest  upon  a  new^  life.  I  set  apart 
an  hour  or  two  for  religious  retirement;  I  commu- 
nicated every  week;  I  watched  against  all  sin, 
whether  in  word  or  deed ;  I  began  to  aim  at  and 
pray  for  inward  holiness,  so  that  now,  doing  so 
much  and  living  so  good  a  life,  I  doubted  not  that 
I  was  a  good  Christian."  He  also  read  Taylor's 
"Holy  Living  and  Dying."     "Instantly  I  resolved 


Alone  in  his  Struggle.  35 

to  dedicate  all  my  life  to  God — all  my  thoughts 
and  words  and  actions — being  thoroughly  convinced 
that  there  was  no  medium,  but  that  every  part  of 
r.iy  life  (not  some  only)  must  either  be  a  sacrifice 
to  God  or  to  myself — that  is,  in  effect  to  the 
devil." 

He  now  began  to  correspond  with  his  mother  on 
religious  topics,  particularly  on  the  two  great  doc- 
trines of  universal  atonement  and  the  privilege  of 
living  in  a  state  of  conscious  salvation.  He  also 
adopted  Taylor's  recommendation  of  taking  an  ex- 
act account  of  the  manner  in  which  he  spent  his 
time  by  daily  Avriting  how  he  had  employed  every 
hour — the  beginning  of  that  famous  diary  which 
he  continued  till  his  death.  His  change  in  life  sub- 
jected him  to  contem2:)tuous  sneers  from  those  asso- 
ciated with  him.  Up  to  this  time  he  was  all  alone 
in  his  endeavors  after  a  better  life.  He  wrote  to 
his  father  about  his  ill  treatment,  and  received  the 
following  characteristic  reply : 

"August  24,  1725. 

"Dear  Son:  If  you  be  what  you  write,  I  shall 
be  happy;  as  to  the  gentlemen  candidates  you 
mention,  does  anybody  think  the  devil  is  dead  or 
asleep,  or  that  he  has  no  agents  left?  Surely  virt- 
ue can  bear  being  laughed  at.  The  Captain  and 
Master  of  our  salvation  endured  something  more 
for  us  before  he  entered  into  glory ;  and  unless  we 
track  his  steps,  in  vain  do  we  hope  to  share  the 


36  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

glory  with  him.  Naught  else  but  blessings  from 
your  loving  father,  Samuel  Wesley." 

Meantime  the  day  fixed  for  his  ordination  drew 
near.  This  involved  various  expenses  which,  though 
not  large,  it  was  difficult  to  meet.  His  father  was 
at  the  time  "struggling  for  life,"  but  by  great  ex- 
ertion helped  him,  and  he  was  ordained  deacon  by 
Bishop  Potter  September  19, 1725,  the  good  bishop 
at  the  same  time  advising  him  that  "if  he  wished 
to  be  extensively  useful  he  must  spend  his  time  not 
in  contending  for  or  against  things  of  a  disputable 
nature,  but  in  testifying  against  notorious  vice,  and 
in  promoting  real  essential  holiness."  Wesley's  fii'st 
sermon  was  preached  at  South  Leigh,  a  small  vil- 
lage three  miles  from  Witney;  In  March  following 
he  was  elected  a  fellow  of  Lincoln  College,  Oxford. 
This  was  a  most  important  event  to  him.  The  po- 
sition gave  him  a  comfortable  support  from  the 
funds  of  the  college,  while  it  also  gave  him  a  share 
in  its  government,  and  made  him  a  tutor  and  lect- 
urer to  the  students.  New  duties  were  upon  him. 
He  resolved  to  be  diligent.  "Leisure  and  I,"  he 
writes,  "  have  taken  leave  of  one  another.  I  pro- 
pose to  be  busy  as  long  as  I  live,  if  ray  health  is  so 
long  indulged  me." 

During  the  ensuing  summer  he  paid  a  visit  home 
to  Epworth,  where  he  spent  his  time  pursuing  his 
studies  with  the  greatest  diligence,  preaching  also 
twice  every  Sunday,  and  conversing  with  his  father 


Hid  of  Unprofitable  Friends.  37 

and  mother  on  practical  religion.  He  here  also 
wrote  a  paraphrase  of  the  one  hundred  and  fourth 
Psalm,  in  which  he  showed  his  genius  for  poetry. 

On  returning  to  the  university  his  literary  repu- 
tation now  soon  became  established.  All  parties 
acknowledged  him  to  be  a  man  of  talents  and  learn- 
ing, while  his  skill  in  logic  was  remarkable,  so  that 
"though  he  was  only  in  the  twenty-third  year  of 
his  age,  and  had  not  yet  taken  a  master's  degree," 
within  two  months  after  his  return  he  was  elected 
Greek  lecturer  and  moderator  of  the  classes. 

In  the  beginning  of  1727  he  drew  up  for  himself 
a  scheme  of  studies,  telling  his  mother  that  he  "  had 
perfectly  come  over  to  her  opinion  that  there  are 
many  truths  it  is  not  worth  while  to  know,"  and 
for  the  knowledge  of  which  time  was  ill  spent  when 
so  many  really  important  things  remained  undone. 
Another  step  he  took  was  to  rid  himself  of  unprofit- 
able friends.  "  I  resolved,"  he  says,  "  to  have  no 
acquaintance  by  chan.ce,  but  by  choice,  and  to  choose 
only  such  as  would  help  me  on  my  way  to  heaven. 
In  consequence  of  this,  I  narrowly  observed  the 
temper  and  behavior  of  all  that  visited  me.  I 
saw  no  reason  to  think  that  the  greater  part  of 
these  truly  loved  and  feared  God;  therefore  when 
any  of  them  came  to  see  me  I  behaved  as  courte- 
ously as  I  could,  but  to  the  question,  '  When  will 
you  come  to  see  me?'  I  returned  no  answer,  and 
when  they  had  come  a  few  times  and  found  I  still 


447333 


38  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

declined  returning  the  visit,  I  saw  them  no  more ;  and 
I  bless  God  this  has  been  my  invariable  rule  for 
about  three-score  years,"  Still  Wesley,  according 
to  his  own  testimony,  was  ignorant  of  God.  "  Meet- 
ing with  Mr.  Law's  'Christian  Perfection,'  and  'Se-. 
*rious  Call,'  although  I  was  much  offended  at  many 
parts  of  both,  yet  they  convinced  me  more  than 
ever  of  the  exceeding  height  and  breadth  and  depth 
of  the  law  of  God.  The  light  flowed  in  so  might- 
ily upon  my  soul  that  every  thing  appeared  in  a 
new  view.  I  cried  to  God  for  help,  resolved  as  I 
had  never  been  before  not  to  prolong  the  time  of 

obeying  him I  was  convinced  more  than 

ever  of  the  impossibility,  of  being  half  a  Christian, 
and  determined  to  be  all  devoted  to  God;,  to  give 
him  all  my  soul,  my  body,  and  my  substance." 

Meantime  he  was  still  preaching,  and,  in  some 
degree  at  least,  privately  laboring  in  the  gospel. 
He  writes  in  1727 :  "  While  watching  with  a  friend 
at  a  young  lady's  funeral  I  attempted  to  make  him  a 
Christian.  From  that  time  the  youth  was  exceed- 
ingly serious,  and  a  fortnight  ago  died  of  consump- 
tion. I  was  with  him  the  day  before  his  decease^ 
and  at  his  request  preached  his  funeral-sermon." 
Mr.  Tyerman  adds :  "  Here  was  Wesley's  first  con- 
vert." 

August,  1727,  he  went  home  to  act  as  his  father's 
curate,  Mr.  Wesley  being  obliged  to  have  assistance 
on  account  of  his  ajre  and  his  loss  of  health.     Here 


Charles  at  Oxford.  39 

he  remained  till  November  22, 1729,  preaching  and 
doing  all  the  ordinary  work  of  a  country  pastor. 
Meantime,  during  a  three  months'  visit  to  Oxford 
in  the  summer  of  1728,  he  was  ordained  elder  by 
Bishop  Potter.    Of  his  ministry  at  Epworth  he  says : 

"  I  preached  much,  but  saw  no  fruit  of  my  labor. 
Indeed,  it  could  not  be  that  1  should,  for  I  neither 
laid  the  foundation  of  repentance  nor  of  believing 
the  gospel — taking  it  for  granted  that  all  to  whom 
I  preached  were  believers,  and  that  many  of  them 
needed  no  repentance.  During  all  this  time  I  was 
utterly  ignorant  of  the  nature  and  condition  of 

justification I  had  some  confused  notion 

about  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  but  then  I  took  it  for 
granted  the  time  of  this  must  be  the  hour  of  death 
or  the  day  of  judgment.  I  was  equally  ignorant 
of  the  nature  of  saving  faith,  apprehending  it  to 
mean  no  more  than  '  a  firm  assent  to  all  the  propo- 
sitions contained  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament.'" 

On  Wesley's  return  to  Oxford  in  1729  he  found 
his  brother  Charles,  with  two  or  three  other  stu- 
dents, attending  the  sacrament  weekly,  and  other- 
wise following  a  strict  religious  life.  In  1726,  when 
Charles  had  first  come  to  Oxford,  John  had  spoken 
to  him  about  his  soul.  Charles  was  then  "a  spright- 
ly, rollicking  young  fellow,  with  more  genius  than 
grace,"  and  answered:  "What!  would  you  have  me 
to  be  a  saint  all  at  once?"  Now  all  was  changed. 
The  regularity  with  which  he  and  his    associates 


40  Lije  of  John  Wesley. 


were  living  led  a  young  collegian  to  call  thera 
"  jNIethodists,"  and  "the  name  clave  to  them  im- 
mediately." At  first  Robert  Kirkham  and  AVill- 
iani  Morgan,  besides  the  two  Wesleys,  were  all  that 
composed  their  company.  Afterward  there  were 
added  to  them  John  Clayton,  John  Broughton, 
Benj.  Ingham,  James  Hervey,  John  Whitelamb, 
Westley  Hall,  John  Gambold,  Charles  Kinchin, 
William  Smith,  and  some  others  from  time  to  time. 
George  Whitefield  did  not  join  them  till  1735. 
"  Three  years  before  he  had  been  admitted  a  serv- 
itor (or  servant  to  the  other  students,  for  which  he 
received  maintenance  and  tuition)  of  Pembroke 
College,  and  had  begiiu  to  pray  and  sing  psalms 
five  times  a  day.  He  longed  to  be  acquainted  with 
the  Methodists,  and  often  watched  them  passing 
through  a  ridiculing  crowd  to  receive  the  sacra- 
ment at  St.  Mary's;  but  he  was  a  jioor  youth,  and 
shrunk  from  obtruding  himself  upon  their  notice. 
At  length  a  woman  in  one  of  the  work-houses  in 
the  city  having  attempted  to  cut  her  throat,  White- 
field  sent  to  Charles  AVesley  to  inform  him  of  her 
ccmdition.  This  led  Charles  to  invite  him  to  break- 
fast next  morning,  and  he  thus  became  introduced  to 
the  Methodists  and  adopted  all  their  rules.  On  this 
the  master  of  his  college  threatened  to  expel  him; 
some  of  the  students  ridiculed  him,  others  threw 
dirt  upon  him,  and  othei-s  took  their  pay  from  him. 
In  great  distress  abovit  his  soul,  he  lay  prostrate  <>ji 


TJie  Oxford  ''Mefhodids."  41 

the  ground  in  silent  or  vocal  prayer.    He  chose  the 

worst  sort  of  food ;  he  fasted  twice  a  week 

Abstinence  and  inward  conflicts  brought  on  illness ; 
but  after  seven  weeks  he  was  enabled  to  lay  hold 
on  Christ  by  a  living  faith,  and  was  filled  with 
peace  and  joy." 

The  brotherhood  thus  formed  was  as  perfect  as 
unity  of  sentiment  and  feeling  could  make  it.  All , 
were  of  one  judgment  and  one  heart.  Wesley  was 
their  chief  director.  Whatever  he  proposed  was 
readily  adopted,  until  he  was  nicknamed  "the  Cu- 
rator of  the  Holy  Club."  Every  night  they  met  to 
review  what  each  had  done  during  the  day,  and  to 
consult  as  to  what  should  be  done  the  day  follow- 
ing. Their  meetings  ahvays  began  with  prayer  and 
ended  with  a  frugal  supper.  Labor  among  young 
students  to  keep  them  from  evil  company  and  evil 
ways;  the  instruction  and  relief  of  impoverished 
families;  visiting  schools,  the  work-house,  and  the 
prisoners  in  the  castle ;  reading  prayers  Wednesday 
and  Friday;  preaching  every  Sunday,  and  admin- 
istering the  sacrament  once  a  month,  kept  them 
busy.  Out  of  their  own  scanty  means  they  raised 
a  fund  to  purchase  books,  medicines,  and  other  nec- 
essaries for  the  prisoners,  and  to  release  those  who 
were  confined  for  debts  of  small  amount. 

It  was  the  practice  of  the  Oxford  Methodists  to 
give  away  all  they  had  after  providing  for  their 
own  necessities.    Wesley,  referring  to  himself,  says: 


42  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

"  One  of  them  had  thirty  pounds  a  year.  He  lived 
on  twenty-eight  and  gave  away  two.  The  next 
year,  receiving  sixty  pounds,  he  still  lived  on  twen- 
ty-eight and  gave  away  thirty-two.  The  third  year 
he  received  ninety  pounds  and  gave  away  sixty-two. 
The  fourth  year  he  received  a  hundred  and  twenty 
pounds ;  still  he  lived  as  before  on  twenty-eight,  and 
gave  to  the  poor  all  the  rest." 

One  cold  day  a  young  girl  who  was  attending 
one  of  the  schools  they  had  established  for  the  poor 
called  upon  Wesley,  almost  frozen.  He  said :  "  You 
seem  half  starved ;  have  you  nothing  to  wear  but 
that  linen  gown?"  "Sir,"  she  replied,  "this  is  all 
I  have."  He  put  his  hand  into  his  pocket,  but 
found  it  empty.  The  walls  of  his  room,  however, 
were  hung  with  pictures.  "  It  struck  me,"  says  he, 
"  will  thy  Master  say,  '  Well  done,  good  and  faith- 
ful steward ;  thou  hast  adorned  thy  walls  with  the 
money  which  might  have  screened  this  poor  creat- 
ure from  the  cold?'  0  justice!  O  mercy!  Are 
not  these  the  blood  of  this  poor  maid?" 

He  was  just  as  conscientious  as  to  the  use  of  his 
time.  Finding  that  he  awoke  every  night  about 
t\velve  or  one  o'clock,  he  concluded  that  this  arose 
from  his  lying  in  bed  longer  than  nature  needed; 
and  to  satisfy  himself  he  procured  an  alarm  which 
aroused  him  next  morning  at  seven,  an  hour  earlier 
than  he  had  risen  the  day  previous;  but  still  he 
lay  aAvake  again   at  night.     The  second  morning 


Holy  Living.  48 

his  alarm  aroused  him  at  six,  and  the  third  at  five; 
but  still  he  lay  awake.  The  fourth  morning  he 
got  up  at  four,  and  now  wakefulness  was  unknown 
to  him.  Sixty  years  afterward  he  writes :  "  By  the 
grace  of  God  I  have  risen  at  four  o'clock  ever  since, 
and,  taking  the  year  round,  I  do  n't  lie  awake  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  together  in  a  month." 

His  hours  for  private  devotion  were  from  five  to 
six  o'clock  every  morning  and  every  night.  The 
Bible  was  his  book  of  books.  He  was  always  cheer- 
flil,  but  never  arrogant.  "By  strict  watchfulness 
he  beat  down  the  impetuosity  of  his  nature  into  a 
child-like  simplicity.  His  piety  was  nourished  by 
continual  communion  with  God,  and  often  was  he 
seen  coming  out  of  his  closet  Avith  a  serenity  of 
countenance  that  was  next  to  shining.  Slanders 
never  rufiled  him.  Coming  home  from  long  jour- 
neys, w^here  he  had  been  in  different  companies,  he 
would  calmly  resume  his  usual  employments  as  if 
he  had  never  left  them." 

His  ii'iends  lived  a  similar  life.  Every  morning 
and  every  evening  they  spent  an  hour  in  private 
prayer.  Thursday,  every  week,  though  they  might 
be  separate  from  each  other,  they  prayed  in  concert 
at  an  appointed  hour.  In  secret  devotion  they  fre- 
quently stopped  short  to  observe  if  they  were  using 
proper  fervor;  and  before  concluding  in  the  name 
of  Christ  they  adverted  to  the  Saviour,  now  inter- 
ceding in  their  behalf  at  the  right-hand  of  God,  and 


44  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

offering  up  their  prayers.  They  embraced  every 
possible  opportunity  of  doing  good,  and  spent  an 
hour  every  day  in  speaking  directly  to  men  on  the 
state  of  their  souls,  planning  every  conversation  be- 
forehand, that  they  might  speak  the  more  usefully. 
They  were  all  at  this  time  intensely  High-church, 
however.  There  is  reason  to  think  that  Wesley 
recommended  the  confessional,  and  it  is  certain 
that  he  seriously  contemplated  the  formation  of  a 
society  which  should  strictly  observe  saints'  days, 
holy  days,  Saturdays  (as  the  seventh  day),  besides 
other  ritualistic  i)ractices,  including  even  the  su- 
perstitious admixture  of  the  sacramental  wine  with 
water.  In  short,  as  AV.esley  himself  says,  "they 
were,  in  the  strongest  sense,  High-churchmen." 

Opi^osition  was  incessant.  Slanders  of  all  kinds 
were  abundant.  The  press  was  employed  to  mis- 
represent, ridicule,  and  abuse  them,  and  if  possible 
to  refute  them.  Wesley  was  the  soul  and  life  of 
the  whole  movement.  He  boldly  defended  him- 
self and  his  associates  in  his  sermons,  and  also  by 
publishing  replies  to  their  accusers.  When  he  was 
present  with  the  little  society,  all  went  well ;  when 
he  Avas  absent,  it  soon  went  down.  Twice,  on  re- 
turning from  a  short  visit  home,  he  found  it  almost 
extinguished,  and  twice  he  again  restored  it  to  life 
and  vigor. 

There  were  friends,  too,  who  came  to  their  aid. 
Wesley's    father   encouraged    them.      The   noble- 


His  Father's  Death.  45 

hearted  old  rector  has  not  always  had  the  credit 
due  him  for  the  part  he  had  in  the  establishment 
of  Methodism.  The  little  band  at  Oxford  applied 
to  him  in  seasons  of  perplexity.  One  of  them 
writes:  "They  formed  their  conduct  upon  his  ad- 
vice; and  upon  the  encouragement  he  gave  them 
they  were  determined  at  all  events  to  persevere  in 
the  course  they  had  begun."  In  his  dying-hour, 
which  now  soon  took  place,  he  urged  them  to  con- 
tinued steadfastness,  and  prophesied  their  success. 
Placing  his  hand  on  Charles's  head,  the  old  hero 
said :  "  Be  steady !  The  Christian  faith  will  surely 
revive  in  this  kingdom.  You  shall  see  it,  though 
I  shall  not."  "Are  you  near  heaven? "  asked  John. 
"Yes,"  said  he,  "I  am."  "Are  the  consolations  of 
God  small  with  you,  father?"  "No,  no,  no!"  he 
responds.  As  the  moment  draws  nigh  they  kneel 
in  prayer,  all  but  Mrs.  Wesley,  who  had  fainted 
several  times  in  the  sick-chamber,  and  had  to  be 
removed.  As  they  cease  he  whispers,  "Now  you 
have  done  all;"  and  as  they  again  raise  the  voice 
of  supplication  he  is  gone.  "Now,"  said  Mrs. 
^Yesley,  when  they  told  her,  "I  am  heard  in  his 
having  so  easy  a  death,  and  I  am  strengthened  to 
bear  it." 

It  should  be  added  that  on  the  very  day  of  her 
husband's  death  a  cruel  woman  seized  on  Mrs.  Wes- 
ley's cattle  for  a  debt  of  £25.  John  gave  his  note 
for  the  amount,  however,  and  the  cattle  were  re- 


46  lAfe  of  John  Wesley. 

leased.  After  otherwise  assisting  his  mother  he 
returned  to  Oxford.  Immediately  afterward  the 
chief  of  the  Oxford  Methodists  were  widely  scat- 
tered, Gambold,  Ingham,  and  Broughton  becoming 
engaged  in  regular  ministerial  work,  Whitefield 
going  on  an  evangelistic  tour  to  Gloucester,  Bris- 
tol, and  other  places,  and  the  two  Wesleys  making 
a  visit  to  London  to  James  Hutton,  one  of  their 
Oxford  friends. 

While  here  Wesley  met  with  a  Dr.  Burton,  who 
was  greatly  interested  in  the  colonization  of  Geor- 
gia. Dr.  Burton  introduced  him  to  Gen.  Ogle- 
thorpe, the  founder  of  the  colony,  who  strongly 
urged  him  to  undertake  a  mission  there.  Wesley 
consulted  with  Samuel  and  other  friends.  His  no- 
ble mother  wrote:  "Had  I  twenty  sons,  I  should 
rejoice  if  they  were  so  well  employed."  Dr.  Bur- 
ton wrote  him  that  "  plausible  and  popular  doctors 
of  divinity  were  not  the  men  wanted  for  Georgia; 
for  the  ease,  luxury,  and  levity  in  which  they  were 
accustomed  to  indulge  disqualified  them  for  such  a 
work." 

Ten  days  after  the  date  of  this  letter  Wesley  ac- 
cepted the  proposal,  and  in  sixteen  days  after  the 
same  date — in  company  with  his  brother  Charles, 
Benjamin  Ingham,  and  Charles  Delamotte — em- 
barked for  the  work  in  Georgia.  Wesley's  chief  desire 
was  to  preach  to  the  Indians,  which  Ingham  also  in- 
tended to  do;  but  the  colonists  were  without  a  pas- 


Learning  from  Spangenherg.  47 

tor,  and  the  "Society  for  the  Propagation  of  tlie 
Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts"  appointed  Wesley  to  the 
place  at  a  salary  of  £50  a  year.  On  board  the  ves- 
sel he  met  with  a  company  of  Moravian  emigrants 
going  over  to  join  their  brethren  already  settled 
there.  Wesley  was  greatly  impressed  with  their 
pious  behavior,  especially  during  a  dreadful  storm 
that  continued  a  week,  and  threatened  to  utterly 
destroy  them.  Just  when  the  sea  sparkled  and 
smoked  as  if  on  fire,  and  the  air  fairly  blazed  with 
lightning,  while  the  sails  were  torn  to  tatters  by  tlie 
fury  of  the  wind,  the  Moravians  were  engaged  in 
singing  a  psalm  at  their  evening  service.  The  En- 
glish passengers  began  screaming,  but  they  calmly 
sung  on.  Wesley  was  struck  with  this,  and  asked 
them,  after  the  service  was  over,  "AVere  you  not 
afraid?"  One  replied,  "I  thank  God,  no."  "But 
were  not  your  women  and  children  afraid? "  "  JS^o," 
replied  he,  "  our  women  and  children  are  not  afraid 
to  die."  Wesley  concludes  his  account  by  saying, 
"  This  was  the  most  glorious  day  that  I  had  ever  seen." 
Arriving  at  Savannah,  Wesley  met  the  w'ell- 
kuown  Moravian  elder,  Gottlieb  SiDangenberg. 
Wesley  asked  his  advice  how  to  act  in  his  new 
sphere  of  labor.  Spangenberg  replied :  "  My  broth- 
er, I  must  first  ask  you  one  or  two  questions :  Have 
you  the  witness  w'ithin  yourself?  Does  the  Spirit 
of  God  bear  witness  with  your  spirit  that  you  are 
a  child  of  God?"     Wesley  was  surprised  at  yuch 


48  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

questions.  They  were  new  to  him.  He  was  at  a 
loss  how  to  answer.  Spangenberg  continued,  "  Do 
you  know  Jesus  Christ?"  This  was  easier,  and 
Wesley  answered,  "  I  know  that  he  is  the  Saviour 
of  the  world."  "True,"  said  Spangenberg,  "but 
do  you  know  he  has  saved  youf"  Wesley  was 
again  perplexed,  but  answered,  "  I  hoi)e  he  has  died 
to  save  me."  Spangenberg  only  replied,  "  Do  you 
know  yourself? "  Wesley  replied,  "I  do ; "  and  he 
was  led  to  think  of  doctrines  which  it  took  him 
two  more  years  to  understand. 

During  the  two  years  nearly  that  Wesley  staid  in 
Georgia  he  met  with  a  succession  of  disappoint- 
ments and  troubles.  He  had  wished  to  go  on  a 
mission  to  the  Indians,  but  Governor  Oglethorpe 
objected  on  the  grounds  that  there  was  then  great 
danger  of  his  being  taken  or  killed  by  the  French 
near  by,  and  that  it  was  inexpedient  to  leave  Sa- 
vannah without  a  minister.  Wesley  replied  that  his 
appointment  to  the  office  of  minister  there  was  dcme 
without  his  desire  or  knowledge,  and  that  he  should 
not  continue  longer  than  until  the  way  was  opened 
to  go  among  the  Indians.  So  the  matter  ended,' 
but  his  path  seemed  effectually  stopped. 

He  now  therefore  began  to  apply  himself  to  min- 
isterial labors  in  Savannah.  Every  Saturday  and 
Sunday  afternoon  he  catechised  between  thirty  and 
forty  children.  Every  Sunday  he  held  three  public 
services:  at  five  in  the  morning,  at  midday,  and  at 


Barefooted  at  School.  49 


three  in  the  afternoon ;  and  then  at  night  as  many 
of  his  parishioners  as  desired  it  met  at  his  house, 
with  whom  he  spent  an  hour  in  prayer,  singing,  and 
mutual  exhortation.  A  similar  meeting  was  held 
every  Wednesday  night,  and  selected  ones  on  all 
the  other  evenings  of  the  week,  while  he  constantly 
visited  his  parishioners  from  house  to  house  during 
the  day.  In  addition,  he  learned  French,  Italian, 
and  German,  in  order  to  converse  with  such  of  the 
people  as  could  speak  only  those  languages;  and 
toward  the  close  of  hirf  stay,  to  all  his  other  labors 
on  the  Sabbath  he  added  an  Italian  service  in  the 
morning  and  a  French  service  in  the  afternoon. 

An  instance  of  his  readiness  in  meeting  emer- 
gencies, both  humorous  and  instructive,  occurred 
while  he  was  here.  Delamotte  had  a  school  in 
which  part  of  the  boys  wore  shoes  and  stockings, 
and  the  others  none.  The  former  ridiculed  the 
latter,  and  Delamotte  tried  to  stop  it,  but  could  not. 
Wesley  said  he  thought  he  could  cure  it,  if  the 
next  week  he  took  charge  of  the  school.  On  Mon- 
day morning  he  did  so,  and  walked  into  school 
barefooted.  The  children  looked  amazed,  but  Wes- 
ley, without  any  reference  to  their  past  jeering, 
kept  them  at  their  work.  Before  the  week  was  out 
the  shoeless  ones  began  to  gather  courage;  and 
some  of  the  others,  seeing  their  minister  and  mas- 
ter come  barefoot,  began  to  copy  his  example,  and 
the  evil  was  effectually  cured. 
4 


50  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

Unfortunately  he  did  himself  much  hurt  by  his 
High-churchism,  Many  looked  upon  him  as  a  sort 
of  Roman  Catholic.  He  rigidly  excluded  all  who 
had  not  been  baptized  by  an  episcopally  ordained 
mmister,  as  well  as  all  dissenters  from  the  commun- 
ion ;  he  endeavored  to  enforce  confession  and  penance, 
mixed  wine  with  water  in  the  sacrament,  appointed 
deaconesses  in  accordance  with  what  he  called  apos- 
tolic constitutions,  and  other  such  practices.  This, 
and  his  repelling  from  the  sacrament  a  Mrs.  Will- 
iamson, for  whom,  l^efore  her  marriage,  he  had  felt 
a  deep  attachment,  led  at  last  to  his  return  to  En- 
gland, December  22,  1737,  where  Charles  had  long 
preceded  him. 

It  cannot  be  doubted  that  Wesley  was  sincere 
and  conscientious  in  his  course  in  Georgia,  but  he 
was  certainly  no  less  ill  judged,  unscriptural,  and 
arrogant.  Besides  Mrs.  Williamson,  he  had  re- 
pelled others  from  the  Lord's-table.  The  reasons 
he  ga\e  in  her  case  were  that  since  her  marriage 
she  had  come  to  the  sacrament  only  once  a  month 
instead  of  once  a  week,  and  some  dissimulation,  the 
nature  of  Avhich  he  did  not  explain.  In  reference 
to  Bolzius,  whom  he  had  also  repelled,  after  quot- 
ing a  letter  received  from  him  twelve  years  after- 
ward, he  says:  "What  ti-uly  Christian  piety  and 
simplicity  breathe  in  these  lines !  and  yet  this  very 
man,  when  I  was  at  Savannah,  did  I  refuse  to  ad- 
mit to  the  Lord's-table  because  he  was  not  ba]>- 


Not  a  Child  of  God.  51 

tized — that  is.  uot  baptized  by  a  minister  who  had 
been  episcopally  ordained.  Can  any  one  carry 
High-church  zeal  higher  than  this?  How  well 
have  I  been  since  beaten  with  my  own  stick?" 

On  the  way  to  England  he  had  time  for  self- 
examination,  and  he  writes:  "By  the  most  infalli- 
ble of  proofs,  inward  feeling,  I  am  convinced  of 
unbelief,  of  pride,  of  gross  irrecollection,  of  levity 
and  luxuriancy  of  spirit.  I  went  to  America  to 
convert  the  Indians,  but  O  who  shall  convert  me?" 
On  landing  in  England  he  penned  another  remark- 
able paper  asserting  the  same  thing,  and  saying, 
"Alienated  as  I  am  from  the  life  of  God,  I  am  a 
child  of  hell."  In  after  years  he  appended  a  note 
to  the  former  of  these  statements,  saying,  "I  am 
not  sure  of  this,"  and  to  the  latter,  "  I  believe  not ; 
I  had  even  then  the  faith  of  a  servant,  though  not 
that  of  a  son."  The  latter  expression  is  explained 
by  the  following  extract  from  one  of  his  sermons : 
"  Nearly  fifty  years  ago  when  the  preachers  com- 
monly called  Methodists  began  to  preach  that  grand 
scriptural  doctrine,  salvation  by  faith,  they  were 
not  sufficiently  apprised  of  the  difference  between  a 
servant  and  a  child  of  God.  In  consequence  of 
this,  they  were  apt  to  make  sad  the  hearts  of  those 
whom  God  had  not  made  sad ;  for  they  frequently 
asked  those  who  feared  God,  *  Do  you  know  that 
your  sins  are  forgiven?'  And  upon  their  answer- 
ing, 'No,'  immediately  replied,  'Then  you  are  a 


52  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

child  of  the  devil.'  No,  that  does  not  follow.  It 
might  have  been  said  (and  it  is  all  that  can  be  said 
with  propriety),  'Hitherto  you  are  only  a  servant; 
you  are  not  a  child  of  God.  You  have  already  great 
reason  to  praise  God  that  he  has  called  you  to  his 
honorable  service.  Fear  not,  continue  crying  unto 
him,  and  you  shall  see  greater  things  than  these.' " 
Whether  Wesley's  decision  in  reference  to  him- 
self was  just  might  well  be  doubted.  True,  he  was 
far  from  perfect  in  spirit  and  behavior  in  Georgia ; 
but  no  man  could  be  more  sincere  or  earnest.  In 
the  same  document  in  which  he  so  accuses  himself 
he  says:  "  I  not  only  have  given  and  do  give  all  my 
goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  not  only  give  my  body 
to  be  burned,  drowned,  or  whatever  God  shall  ap- 
point for  me,  but  I  follow  after  charity,  if  haply  I 
may  attain  it.  .  .  .  I  show  my  faith  by  my  works — 
by  staking  my  all  upon  it.  I  would  do  so  again 
and  again,  a  thousand  times,  if  the  choice  were  still 
to  make."  He  afterward  says  of  himself:  "All  the 
time  I  was  in  Savannah  I  was  thus  beating  the  air. 
Being  ignorant  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
which  by  a  living  faith  in  him  bringeth  salvation 
to  every  one  that  believeth,  I  sought  to  establish 
my  own  righteousness,  and  so  labored  in  the  lire  all 
my  days.  ...  In  this  state  I  was  indeed  fighting 
continually,  but  not  conquering.  Before  I  had 
willingly  served  sin;  now  it  was  unwillingly,  but 
still  I  served  it.     I  fell  and  rose,  and  fell  again 


Dispute  with  Peter  Bohler.  53 

Sometimes  I  was  overcome  and  iu  heaviness,  some- 
times I  overcame  and  was  in  joy ;  for  as  in  the  for- 
mer state  I  had  some  foretastes  of  the  terrors  of 
the  law,  so  had  I  in  this  of  the  comforts  of  the 
gospel.  During  this  whole  struggle  between  nat- 
un?  and  grace,  which  had  now  continued  above  ten 
years,  I  had  many  remarkable  answers  to  prayer, 
especially  when  I  was  in  trouble.  I  had  many 
sensible  comforts,  which  are  indeed  no  other  than 
short  anticipations  of  the  life  of  faith.  But  I  was 
still  under  the  law,  not  under  grace,  the  state  most 
who  are  called  Christians  are  content  to  live  and 
die  in ;  for  I  was  only  striving  with,  not  freed  fi'om, 
sin.  Neither  had  I  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  with 
my  spirit,  and  indeed  could  not,  for  '  I  sought  it  not 
by  faith,  but  as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the  law.' " 
On  the  way  home,  during  a  terrific  storm  in  mid- 
ocean,  he  found  himself  afraid  of  death,  and  felt 
convinced  that  the  reason  was  the  want  of  a  true 
living  faith.  A  company  of  Moravians  were  on 
board,  and  Peter  Bohler,  their  leader,  told  him  that 
true  faith  was  always  attended  (1)  by  dominion 
over  sin ;  (2)  constant  peace  from  a  sense  of  for- 
giveness. Wesley  disputed  this  with  all  his  might, 
but  Bohler  referred  him  to  the  Bible.  Wesley  con- 
sulted the  Bible,  and  was  compelled  to  acknowl- 
edge Bohler  was  right ;  still  he  did  not  believe  that 
anybody's  experience  ever  rose  to  this  pitch.  Bolder 
next  day  brought  him  three  persons,  all  of  whom 


54  Lij'e  of  John  Wesley. 

testified  of  their  personal  experience  that  the  doc- 
trine was  true,  and  also  that  this  faith  is  the  gift  of 
God,  and  that  he  surely  gives  it  to  every  one  who 
earnestly  and  perseveringly  prays  for  it.  Bohler 
further  taught  him  that  this  saving  faith  is  given  in 
a  moment,  and  that  in  an  instant  a  man  is  turned 
from  sin  and  misery  to  righteousness  and  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Wesley  protested  against  this  also, 
and  Bohler  again  referred  him  to  the  Scriptures. 
Wesley,  to  his  utter  astonishment,  found  there  were 
scarcely  any  instances  of  other  than  instantaneous 
conversions.  Still  he  objected :  "  God  wrought  this 
in  the  first  ages  of  Christianity ;  times  now  are 
changed."  Bohler  turned  again  to  his  experience 
proof,  and  the  day  after  brought  forward  his  wit- 
nesses that  God  had  given  them  in  a  moment  such 
a  fiiith  in  Christ  as  translated  them  out  of  darkness 
into  light. 

Wesley  writes:  "Here  ended  my  disputing.  I 
could  only  cry  out,  'Lord,  help  thou  my  unbelief 
I  was  now  thoroughly  convinced,  and  by  the  grace 
of  God  I  resolved  to  seek  this  faith  unto  the  end, 
(!)  by  absolutely  renouncing  all  dependence^  in 
whole  or  in  part,  upon  my  own  works  of  righteous- 
ness, on  which  I  had  really  grounded  my  hope  of 
salvation,  though  I  knew  it  not, from  my  youth  up; 
(2)  by  adding  to  the  constant  use  of  all  other  means 
of  grace  continual  prayer  for  this  very  thing." 

From  that  time,  February  7,  1738,  till  tlie  4th 


His  Heart  "Strangely  Warmed."  55 

of  May,  when  Bohler  left  London,  Wesley  em- 
braced every  opportunity  of  conversing  with  him. 
Meanwhile  several  of  his  friends,  as  Whitefield  and 
William  Hutchins,  of  Pembroke  College,  had  em- 
braced the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  faith  only,  and 
had  experienced  it.  Charles  Wesley  also,  on  May 
21,  was  made  a  partaker  of  the  same  great  blessing. 
Wesley  was  still  a  mourner ;  his  heart  was  heavy. 
He  felt  there  Avas  no  good  in  him,  and  that  all  his 
works,  his  righteousness,  and  his  prayers,  as  far 
from  having  merit,  needed  an  atonement  for  them- 
selves, and  yet  he  heard  a  voice  saying :  "  Believe, 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved;"  "he  that  believeth  is 
passed  from  death  unto  life." 

Three  more  days  of  anguish  were  passed,  and 
then,  on  May  24,  at  five  in  the  morning,  he  opened 
his  Testament  on  these  words:  "There  are  given 
unto  us  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises,  that 
by  these  ye  might  be  partakers  of  the  divine  nat- 
ure." On  leaving  home  he  opened  on  the  text, 
"  Thou  art  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God."  In 
the  afternoon  he  went  to  St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  where 
the  anthem  was  full  of  comfort;  at  night  he  went 
to  a  society  meeting  in  Aldersgate^  street,  where  a 
person  read  Luther's  preface  to  the  Epistle  to  the 
Romans,  in  which  Luther  teaches  what  faith  is,  and 
also  that  faith  alone  justifies.  While. this  preface 
was  being  read  Wesley  experienced  an  amazing 
change.     He   writes:  "I   felt   my   heart   strangely 


56  Life  of  John  Wedey. 

warmed.  I  felt  I  did  trust  in  Christ,  Christ 
alone,  for  salvation;  and  an  assurance  was  given 
me  that  he  had  taken  away  my  sins,  even  mine, 
and  saved  me  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death ;  and 
I  then  testified  openly  to  all  there  what  I  now  first 
felt  in  my  heart."  Toward  ten  o'clock  a  troop  of 
friends  took  him  to  his  brother,  who  Avas  sick ;  they 
sung  a  hymn  and  then  parted  with  a  prayer.  To 
add  to  this  is  not  necessary.  He  Avas  before  a 
servant  of  God,  accepted,  as  he  afterward  claimed 
himself,  and  was  therefore  safe;  but  now  he  knew 
it,  and  was  happy  as  well  as  safe. 

Bohler's  explanation  of  his  and  Charles's  diffi- 
culty in  believing  is  well  worth  pondering  by  all: 
"Our  mode  of  believing  in  the  Saviour  is  so  easy 
to  Englishmen  that  they  cannot  reconcile  them- 
selves to  it.  If  it  were  a  little  more  artful  they 
would  much  sooner  find  their  way  into  it.  Of  faith 
in  Jesus  they  have  no  other  idea  than  the  gener- 
ality of  people  have.  They  justify  themselves,  and 
therefore  they  always  take  it  for  granted  that  they 
1  relieve  already,  and  try  to  prove  their  faitli  by 
tiicir  works,  and  thus  so  plague  and  torment  them- 
selves that  they  are  at  heart  very  miserable." 

Wesley  had  found  peace  with  God ;  but  for  the 
instruction  of  ncAV  converts  let  it  be  remembered 
that  his  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  unbroken. 
The  same  night  he  "  wiis  much  buftetcd  with  temp- 
tations wliicli  returned  again  and  again."     The  day 


Doubting,  but  Waiting  on  God.  57 

after,  "the  enemy  injected  a  fear"  that  the  change 
was  not  great  enough,  and  therefore  that  his  faith 
was  not  real.  On  May  26th  his  "soul  continued  in 
peace,  but  yet  in  heaviness  through  manifold  temp- 
tations." On  the  27th  there  was  a  want  of  joy ;  on 
the  31st  he  "grieved  the  Spirit  of  God,  not  only  by 
not  watching  unto  prayer,  but  likcAvise  by  speaking 
with  sharpness,  instead  of  tender  love,  of  one  who 
was  not  sound  in  the  faith.  Immediately  God  hid 
his  face,  add  he  was  in  trouble  and  heaviness  till 
the  next  morning." 

In  mingling  with  the  Moravians,  one  of  whose 
societies  he  joined,  he  seemed  to  have  imbibed  some 
wrong  notions  from  their  teachings,  and  especially 
froni  their  experiences,  which,  earnest  and  sincere 
as  they  were,  were  yet  mixed  with  much  that  was 
fanatical  and  foolish.  For  a  time  he  seems  to  have 
confounded  the  doctrine  of  the  Spirit's  witness 
with  that  of  sanctification,  and  thought  it  to  in- 
clude "deliverance  from  every  fleshly  desire,  and 
from  every  outward  and  inward  sin." 

Accordingly,  five  months  after  his  conversion,  we 
find  him  writing:  "This  witness  of  the  Spirit,  I 
have  it  not."  And  again :  "  I  cannot  find  in  my- 
self the  love  of  God  or  of  Christ ;  hence  my  dead- 
ness  and  my  wanderings  in  public  prayer,"  etc. 
Like  many  others,  he  was  apparently  attaching  to 
the  witness  of  the  Spirit  a  signification  too  high, 
and  afilicting  himself  because  his  experience  did 


58  Life  of  John  Wesley. 


not  reach  to  the  height  he  had  fixed  for  it.  But  in 
the  midst  of  all  these  temptations  and  doubts  and 
failings,  he  kept  waiting  upon  God  continually, 
read  the  New  Testament,  conquered  temptation, 
and  gained  increasing  power  to  trust  and  to  rejoice 
in  God  his  Saviour.  The  mists  Avere  soon  scattered, 
and  he  could  testify  to  the  end  of  life:  "The  testi- 
mony of  the  Spirit  is  an  inward  impression  on  the 
soul,  whereby  the  Spirit  of  God  directly  witnesses 
to  my  spirit  that  I  am  a  child  of  God;  that  Jesus 
Christ  hath  loved  me,  and  given  himself  for  me; 
and  that  all  my  sins  are  blotted  out,  and  I,  even  I, 
am  reconciled  to  God." 


CHAPTER  III. 

A  Durk  Hour— The  Methodist  Revival— Outdoor  Preacli- 
ing — Beau  Nash  —  Persecution  —  The  Foundry — The 
United  Societies— Lay  Preachers — Strange  Scenes — Cal- 
vinism —  Class-meetings  —  The  Itinerancy —  Preaching 
from  his  Father's  Tombstone — Death  of  Mrs.  Wesley — 
Mobs — Happy  Deaths — Learning. 

DURING  the  year  1738,  with  the  exception  of 
one  month  spent  on  his  voyage  from  America 
and  three  months  he  passed  in  Germany  on  a  visit 
to  the  Moravian  comrannity  under  Count  Zinzen- 
dorf,  Wesley  preached  continually — in  work-houses, 
in  prisons,  in  the  cabin  of  a  ship,  or  in  churches — 
wherever  he  could  gain  admittance.  Justification 
by  faith  and  free  grace  were  the  great  doctrines 
which  he,  with  Whitefield  and  Charles  Wesley,  now 
began  to  teach,  and  which  gave  rise  to  that  great 
revival  of  modern  times  called  Methodism- — the 
greatest  revival  since  the  days  of  the  apostles. 
Never  was  there  greater  need  of  an  awakening. 
"Never,"  says  a  writer  in  the  North  British  Re- 
view, "has  a  century  risen  on  Christian  England  so 
void  of  soul  and  faith  as  that  which  opened  with 
Queen  Anne  and  reached  its  musty  noon  beneath 
the  second  George — a  dewless  night  succeeded  by  a 
sunless  dawn."     Vice  abounded.     The  Bishop  of 

(.V.)) 


60  Lfife  of  John  Wesley. 

Leitchfield,  in  a  sermon  in  1724,  said :  "The  Lord's- 
day  is  now  become  the  devil's  market-day.  .... 
Sin  in  general  has  grown  so  hardened  and  rampant 
as  that  immoralities  are  defended — yea,  justified — 

on  i^rinciple Every  kind  has  found  a 

writer  to  teach  and  vindicate  it,  and  a  bookseller 
and  hawker  to  divulge  and  spread  it." 

"Drinking  had  become  almost  a  mania.  In 
1736  every  sixth  house  in  London  was  a  licensed 
grog-shop.  In  the  higher  classes  of  society  the 
taint  left  by  Charles  II.  and  his  licentious  court 
still  festered.  Among  the  lower  classes  laziness  and 
dishonesty  were  next  to  universal.  Superstition 
flourished  almost  as  vigorously  as  it  had  done  in 
the  Middle  Ages.  Extravagance  was  the  order  of 
the  day.  Scarcely  one  family  in  ten  kept  within 
its  income.  The  grand  controversy  was  who  should 
outdress,  outdrink,  or  outeat  his  neighbor.  Gam- 
bling was  universal.  London  swarmed  with  ruined 
rakes  and  broken  traders,  who  contrived  to  live  in 
the  best  society  by  reciting  broken  scraps  of  poetry, 
singing  licentious  songs,  and  retailing  drunken  puns 
and  quibbles.  All  usual  restraints  were  relaxed. 
EveryAvhere  there  was  an  abuse  of  liberty,  a  great 
neglect  in  education,  and  a  want  of  care  in  train- 
ing children  and  in  keeping  servants  in  good  order, 
while  idleness,  luxury,  gambling,  and  drunkenness 
had  grown  into  an  alarming  magnitude.  Infidelity 
prevailed  among  all  classts,  and  boldl}'  made  direct 


A  Godless  Era  in  England.  61 

efTorts  to  undermine  all  religion.  Ignorance  was 
rife,  and  gave  opportunity  to  all  evil.  In  the  whole 
kingdom  in  1715  there  were  but  one  thousand  one 
hundred  and  ninety-three  schools  for  the  education 
of  the  poor,  containing  only  twenty-six  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  twenty  scholars.  Crime  was 
enormous.  In  1738  fifty-two  criminals  were  hanged 
at  Tyburn  jail  alone.  During  that  and  the  i^reced- 
ing  year  twelve  thousand  persons  in  London  had 
been  convicted  of  smuggling  gin  or  of  selling  it 
without  license.  Sunday  traffic  had  become  such  a 
nuisance  in  London  that  the  court  of  aldermen  had 
to  interfere  to  suppress  it.  A  committee  of  the 
House  of  Lords,  appointed  in-  1738  'to  examine 
into  the  causes  of  the  present  notorious  immorality 
and  profaneuess,'  reported  that  a  number  of  loose 
and  disorderly  persons  had  of  late  formed  them- 
selves into  a  club,  and  were  trying  to  iuduce  the 
youths  of  the  kingdom  to  join  them,  professing 
themselves  to  be  votaries  of  the  devil,  and  offering 
prayers  to  him  and  drinking  his  health."* 

At  once  the  cause  and  a  consequence  of  the  pre- 
vailing ignorance,  immorality,  and  crime  was  the 
general  decay  of  religion  prevailing.  In  the  Church 
ministers  were  fops  and  dandies,  and  immoral  or 
dead  and  formal.  Bishop  Burnet  wrote  in  1713: 
"  Our  ember  days  are  the  burden  and  grief  of  my 

*  Condensed  from  Tyermau's  ''Life  and  Times  of  Wesley." 


62  IJ^e  of  John  Wesley. 


life.  The  much  greater  part  of  those  who  come  to 
be  ordained  are  ignorant  to  a  degree  not  to  be  ap- 
preciated by  those  who  are  not  obliged  to  know  it. 
The  easiest  part  of  knowledge  is  that  to  which  they 
are  the  greatest  strangers — I  mean  the  plaimjst 
parts  of  the  Scriptures.  They  can  give  no  account, 
or  at  least  a  very  imperfect  account,  of  the  cont<3Jits 
even  of  the  gospel,  or  of  the  catechism  itself" 

Green  says:  "Of  the  prominent  statesmen  of  the 
time  the  greater  part  were  unbelievers  in  any  form 
of  Christianity,  and  distinguished  for  the  grossness 
and  immorality  of  their  lives.  Drunkenness  and 
foul  talk  were  thought  no  discredit  to  Walpole.  A 
later  prime-minister,  the  Duke  of  Grafton,  was  in 
the  habit  of  appearing  at  the  play  with  his  mistress. 
Purity  and  fidelity  to  the  marriage-vow  were  sneered 
out  of  fashion ;  and  Lord  Chesterfield,  in  his  letters 
to  his  son,  instructs  him  in  the  art  of  seduction  us  a 
part  of  a  polite  education."* 

To  reform  and  save  the  people,  Wesley  and  his 
colaborers  simply  preached  the  doctrines  of  the 
Bible  and  instituted  their  discipline  of  life ;  and  it 
was  sufficient  then,  as  it  always  will  be  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God.  The  moral  aspect  of  the  whole  nation 
was  soon  changed. 

"A  religious  revival  burst  forth  at  the  close  of 
Walpole's  ministry  which  in  a  few  years  changed 

*"  History  of  the  English  People,"  Vol.  IV.,  Book  VIIL 


Tlie  Methodist  Revival. 


the  whole  temj^er  of  English  society.  The  -  /luvch 
was  restored  to  life  and  activity.  E<ili5if.Q  (.ar- 
ried  to  the  hearts  of  the  poor  a  fre/sh  spirit  of 
moral  zeal,  Avhile  it  purified  our  literature  and  our 
manners.  A  new  philanthropy  reformed  our  pris- 
ons, infused  clemency  and  wisdom  into  our  penal 
laws,  abolished  the  slave-trade,  and  gave  the  first 
impulse  to  popular  education.  The  revival  began 
in  a  small  knot  of  Oxford  students,  whose  revolt 
against  the  religious  deadness  of  their  times  showed 
itself  in  ascetic  observances,  an  enthusiastic  devo- 
tion, and  a  methodical  regularity  of  life,  which 

gained  them  the  nickname  of  '  Methodists.' 

Their  preaching  stirred  a  passionate  hatred  in  their 
opponents.  Their  lives  were  often  in  danger;  they 
were  mobbed,  they  were  ducked,  they  were  smoth- 
ered wdth  filth;  but  the  enthusiasm  they  aroused 

was  equally  passionate Charles  Wesley 

came  to  add  sweetness  to  this  sudden  and  startling 
light.  The  wild  throes  of  hysteric  enthusiasm 
passed  into  a  passion  for  hymn-singing,  and  a  new 
musical  impulse  was  aroused  in  the  peojile  which 
gradually  changed  the  face  of  public  devotion 
throughout  England.  But  the  Methodists  them- 
selves were  the  least  result  of  the  Methodist  re- 
vival. Its  action  upon  the  Church  of  England 
broke  the  lethargy  of  the  clergy,  and  the  '  Evan- 
gelical' movement,  which  found  representatives 
like  Newton  and  Cecil  within  the  pale  of  the  Es- 


64  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

tablishment,  made  the  fox-hunting  parson  and  the 
absentee  rector  at  last  impossible.  In  Walpole's 
day  the  English  clergy  were  the  idlest  and  most 
lifeless  in  the  world.  In  our  own  time  no  body  of 
i-eligious  ministers  surpasses  them  in  piety,  in  phil- 
anthropic energy,  or  in  popular  regard. 

"  In  the  nation  at  large  appeared  a  new  moral 
enthusiiism,  which,  rigid  and  pedantic  as  it  often 
seemed,  was  still  healthy  in  its  social  tone,  and 
whose  power  was  seen  in  the  disappearance  of  the 
profligacy  which  had  disgraced  the  upper  classes, 
and  the  foulness  which  had  infested  literature  ever 
since  the  restoration.  But  the  noblest  result  of  the 
religious  revival  was  the  steady  attempt — which  has 
never  ceased  from  that  day  to  this — to  remedy  the 
guilt,  the  ignorance,  the  physical  suffering,  the  so- 
cial degradation  of  the  profligate  and  the  poor.  It 
was  not  till  the  Wesleyan  movement  had  done  its 
work  that  the  philanthropic  movement  began.  The 
passionate  impulse  of  human  sympathy  with  the 
wronged  and  the  afflicted  raised  hospitals,  endowed 
charities,  built  churches,  sent  missionaries  to  the 
heathen,  supported  Burke  in  his  plea  for  the  Hin- 
doo and  Clarkson  and  Wilberforce  in  their  crusade 
against  the  iniquity  of  the  slave-trade." 

Strong  opposition  arose.  Mrs.  Hutton,  in  whose 
house  John  and  Charles  Wesley  had  their  lodgings, 
and  whose  family  had  be'en  a  long  time  intimate 
with  them,  grew  alarmed  lest  her  two  boys  should 


His  Ministry  Opposed.  65 


also  be  drawn  into  the  same  "wild  notions,"  and 
writes  to  Samuel  Wesley  to  stop  this  "wildfire"  if 
he  can.  Samuel  was  already  troubled  about  his 
two  brothers,  and  entered  into  a  correspondence 
with  John  protesting  and  arguing  against  their 
views  with  all  his  might.  Complaint  was  made 
against  them  by  others  to  Dr.  Gibson,  Bishop  of 
Loudon,  and  John  and  Charles  waited  on  him  to 
answer  the  charge;  but  the  bishop  found  nothing 
to  reprove  in  them,  and  dismissed  them  kindly. 
The  famous  AVarburton  began  to  write  against 
them ;  and  sermons  from  prominent  ministers  were 
leveled  at  their  doctrines. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1738  Wesley  was  almost 
uniformly  excluded  from  the  pulpits  of  the  Estab- 
lished Church.  With  the  exception  of  expound- 
ing in  a  few  private  houses,  he  had  to  content  him- 
self with  preaching  not  more  than  half  a  dozen 
sermons  during  the  first  two  months  of  1739.  In 
March  he  went  to  Oxford,  where  he  labored  chiefly 
in  visiting  ftimilies  and  individuals  and  instructing 
them,  being  sometimes  obliged  to  dispute  with  op- 
posers,  whom  he  found  everywhere  endeavoring  to 
destroy  the  fruits  of  his  ministry.  "  We  had  ap- 
pointed the  little  society  at  Reading  to  meet  us  in 
the  evening,  but  the  enemy  was  too  vigilant ;  al- 
most as  soon  as  we  were  out  of  the  town  the  minis- 
ter sent  or  went  to  each  of  the  members,  and  began 
ai-guing  and  threatening,  and  utterly  confounded 
5 


66  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

them,  so  that  tliey  were  all  scattered  abroad."  But 
the  work  was  not  in  vain.  "Mrs.  Campton  set 
her  face  as  a  flint."  "Mrs.  Mears's  agony  so  in- 
creased that  she  could  not  avoid  crying  out  aloud 
in  the  street.  With  much  difficulty  we  got  her  to 
Mrs.  Shrieve's,  where  God  heard  us  and  sent  her 
deliverance.  Presently  Mrs.  Shrieve  fell  into  a 
strange  agony  both  of  body  and  mind-— her  teeth 
gnashed  together,  her  knees  smote  each  other,  and 
her  whole  body  trembled  exceedingly.  We  j^rayed 
on,  and  within  an  hour  the  storm  ceased ;  and  she 
now  enjoys  a  sweet  calm,  having  remission  of  sins 
and  knowing  that  her  Redeemer  liveth."  "On 
Monday  Mrs.  Cleminger  being  in  pain  and  fear,  we 
prayed,  and  the  Lord  gave  her  peace.  At  six  in 
the  evening  we  were  at  Mrs.  Fox's  society;  about 
seven  at  Mrs.  Campton's.  The  power  of  the  Lord 
was  present  at  both,  and  all  our  hearts  were  knit 
together  in  love." 

Whitefield  now  took  a  bold  step.  In  February, 
having  come  to  Bristol,  he  found  all  the  churches 
closed  against  him  but  two;  and  the  chancellor 
of  Bristol  interfered  to  prevent  him  from  preach- 
ing in  those,  threatening  to  first  suspend  and  then 
expel  him  if  he  should  continue  to  preach  in  that 
diocese  without  license.  But  the  chancellor  had 
undertaken  no  easy  task.  Away  went  Whitefield, 
February  17,  and  preached  in  the  open  air  to  two 
hundred  colliers   at  Kingswood.      Wesley   "could 


Following  WhitefieMs  Example.  67 

scarcely  reconcile  himself  at  first  to  this  strange 
way  of  preaching  in  the  fields,  having  all  his  life — 
till  very  lately — been  so  tenacious  of  every  point  re- 
lating to  decency  and  order  that  he  should  have 
thought  the  saving  of  souls  almost  a  sin  if  it  had 
not  been  in  a  church."  But  Whitefield  continued, 
and  at  the  second  service  he  had  two  thousand  peo- 
ple to  hear  him;  at  the  third  four  thousand;  at  the 
fifth,  ten  thousand;  and  afterward  sometimes  as 
many  as  twenty  thousand.  He  now  sent  for  Wes- 
ley. Wesley  hesitated,  Charles  objected,  and  the 
society  in  Fetter  Lane  disputed ;  but  at  length  the 
matter  was  decided  affirmatively.  Wesley  reached 
Bristol  March  31st,  and  immediately  began  to  fol- 
low Whitefield's  examjDle. 

Once  more  he  was  engaged  in  his  loved  employ, 
and  thenceforth  continued  to  preach  without  ceas- 
ing— in  fields  and  commons,  and  public  squares, 
wherever  he  could  find  a  congregation — to  the  end 
of  his  long  life ;  the  greatest  outdoor  preacher  that 
ever  lived.  Most  of  1739  he  spent  in  Bristol  and 
its  immediate  neighborhood,  delivering  at  least  five 
hundred  sermons,  only  eight  of  which  were  preached 
in  churches.  "The  points,"  he  writes,  "I  chiefly 
insisted  upon  were  four :  First,  that  orthodoxy,  oi 
right  opinion,  is  at  best  but  a  very  slender  part  of 
religion,  if  it  can  be  allowed  to  be  any  part  at  all ; 
that  neither  does  religion  consist  in  negatives,  in 
bare  harmlessness  of  any  kind,  nor  merely  in  ex- 


68  Life  of  John  Wesley. 


ternals,  in  doing  good,  or  using  the  means  of  grace, 
in  works  of  piety  or  of  charity,  but  that  it  is  noth- 
ing short  of  or  different  from  the  mind  that  was  in 
Jesus  Christ;  the  image  of  God  stamped  upon  the 
heart;  inward  righteousness  attended  with  the  peace 
of  God  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  Secondly,  that 
the  only  way  to  this  religion  is  repentance  towai-d 
God  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Thirdly, 
that  by  this  faith  he  that  worketh  not  but  believeth 
on  him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly  is  justified  freely 
by  his  grace  through  the  redemption  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus.  Fourthly,  that  being  justified  by 
faith  we  taste  of  the  heaven  to  Avhich  we  are  going ; 
we  are  holy  and  hapi:)y;  we  tread  down  sin  and 
fear,  and  sit  in  heavenly  places  with  Christ  Jesus." 
He  adds  that  he  had  no  desire  to  preach  in  the  open 
air.  Field -preaching  was  a  thing  submitted  to 
rather  than  chosen;  and  submitted  to  because  he 
thought  preaching  even  thus  better  than  no  preach- 
ing at  all — first  in  respect  to  his  own  soul,  and  next 
in  respect  to  the  souls  of  others.  He  asserts  further 
that  never  had  he  seen  a  more  awful  sight  than 
when  on  Rose  Green  or  the  top  of  Hannam  Mount 
some  thousands  of  persons  were  calmly  joined  to- 
gether in  solemn  waiting  upon  God.  He  says:  "I 
have  now  no  parish  of  my  own,  nor  probably  ever 
shall I  look  upon  all  the  world  as  my  par- 
ish ;  thus  far  I  mean  that  in  whatever  j^art  of  it  I 
am  I  judge  it  meet,  right,  and  my  bounden  duty  to 


Field-preaching — Persecution.  69 

declare  unto  all  that  are  willing  to  hear  the  glad 
tidings  of  salvation." 

"  Their  congregations,"  says  James  Hutton, "  were 
composed  of  every  description  of  persons,  who,  with- 
out the  slightest  attempt  at  order,  assembled,  cry- 
ing '  Hurrah ! '  with  one  breath,  and  with  the  next 
bellowing  and  bursting  into  tears  on  account  of 
their  sins ;  some  poking  each  other's  ribs,  and  oth- 
ers shouting,  'Halleluiah!'  It  was  a  jumble  of 
extremes  of  good  and  evil.  .  .  .  Here  thieves,  pros- 
titutes, fools,  people  of  every  class,  several  men  of 
distinction,  a  few  of  the  learned,  merchants,  and 
numbers  of  poor  people  who  had  never  entered  a 
place  of  worship,  assembled  in  crowds  and  became 
godly." 

But  hundreds  of  the  poor  miners  were  made 
happy  in  Ch»ist.  Standing  unwashed,  just  as  they 
had  come  out  of  the  coal-pits,  the  tears  coursed 
down  their  blackened  faces  and  left  white  furrows 
on  their  cheeks,  while  they  repented,  believed,  and 
were  saved.  In  a  short  time  multitudes  of  them, 
notorious  before  for  ignorance,  degradation,  and 
crime  of  every  sort,  were  transformed  into  humble 
and  consistent  Christians. 

Persecution  arose.  Wesley  says :  "  We  continued 
to  call  sinners  to  repentance,  but  it  was  not  without 
violent  opposition  both  from  high  and  low,  learned 
and  unlearned.  Not  only  all  manner  of  evil  was 
spoken  of  us,  both  in  private  and  public,  but  the 


70  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

beasts  of  the  people  were  stirred  up  almost  in  all 
places  to  knock  these  mad  dogs  on  the  head  at 
once;  and  when  complaint  was  made  of  their  sav- 
age, brutal  violence,  no  magistrate  would  do  us 
justice." 

At  Pensford  the  minister  would  not  allow  him 
to  preach  in  the  church,  because  he  said  he  had 
heard  he  was  mad.  Wesley  thereupon  took  his 
stand  in  the  open  air;  but  in  the  midst  of  prayer 
two  men  hired  for  the  purpose  began  to  sing  bal- 
lads, which  obliged  Wesley  and  his  company  to 
sing  psalms  so  as  to  drown  one  noise  with  another. 
Subsequently  at  Bath,  Beau  Nash — at  that  time 
the  social  dictator  of  that  fashionable  city,  though  a 
rake  and  a  gambler — determined  to  break  up  Wes- 
ley's preaching  in  the  city  when  he  came  there. 
In  due  time  Wesley  arrived,  and  wa»entreated  by 
his  friends  not  to  attempt  to  preach.  But  he  had 
gone  there  to  preach,  and  preach  he  would.  The 
threatenings  of  Nash  made  his  congregation  very 
large,  both  of  the  rich  and  the  poor.  Soon  after 
Wesley  began,  the  "beau"  appeared  in  his  immense 
white  hat,  and  asked  "by  what  authority  he  did 
these  things."  Wesley  replied :  "  By  the  authority 
of  Jesus  Christ,  conveyed  to  me  by  the  (now)  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  when  he  laid  his  hands  upon 
me  and  said,  'Take  thou  authority  to  preach  the 
gospel.'"  "This  is  contrary  to  act  of  Parliament," 
said  Beau  Nash ;  "  this  is  conventicle."    Wesley  an- 


Assaulted  and  Abused  Everywhere.  71 

tjwered:  "Sir,  the  couventicles  are  seditious  meet- 
ings; but  here  is  no  sedition;  therefore  it  is  not 
contrary  to  that  act."  "I  say  it  is!"  cried  he; 
"  and  besides,  your  preaching  frightens  people  out 
of  their  wits."  "Sir,"  said  Wesley,  "did  you  ever 
hear  me  preach  ?  "  "  No,"  said  ISTash.  "  How,  then," 
said  Wesley,  "can  you  judge  of  what  you  never 
heard?"  "Sir,  by  common  report.  Common  re- 
port is  enough."  "Give  me  leave,  sir,"  replied 
Wesley,  "to  ask,  Is  not  your  name  Nash?"  "My 
name  is  Nash,"  said  he.  "  Sir,"  said  Wesley,  "  I 
dare  not  judge  of  you  by  common  report.  I  think 
it  is  not  enough  to  judge  by."  Here  Nash  paused 
awhile,  and  having  recovered  himself  said :  "  I  de- 
sire to  know  what  this  people  come  here  for."  On 
which  an  old  woman  said:  "Sii",  leave  him  to  me;" 
and  amid  J>er  taunts  the  gorgeous  "beau"  slunk 
away. 

These,  however,  were  comparatively  light  attacks. 
"We  were  assaulted  and  abused  on  every  side," 
^ays  Wesley.  "We  were  everywhere  represented 
as  mad  dogs,  and  treated  accordingly.  We  were 
titoned  in  the  streets,  and  several  times  narrowly 
escaped  with  our  lives.  In  sermons,  newspapers, 
and  pamphlets  of  all  kinds,  we  were  painted  as 
unheard-of  monstei'S.  But  this  moved  us  not ;  Ave 
went  on  testifying  salvation  by  faith  both  to  small 
and  great,  and  not  counting  our  lives  dear  unto  our- 
selves so  we  might  finish  our  course  with  joy." 


72  Life  of  John  Wesley. 


Besides  many  other  attacks  from  smaller  antago- 
nists, Gibson,  Bishop  of  London,  published  a  "pas- 
toral letter"  of  fifty-five  pages,  two-thirds  of  which 
dwelt  on  "enthusiasm,"  charging  the  Methodists 
with  nine  serious  errors.  To  this  Whitefield  re- 
])lied  boldly  and  effectively.  At  the  same  time 
Wesley  was  having  a  tilt  Avith  the  Bishop  of  Bris- 
tol, who  had  directed  him  to  leave  the  diocese. 
Wesley  declined,  declaring  that  "  wherever  I  think 
I  can  do  the  most  good  there  must  I  stay  as  long  as 
I  think  so.  At  pi-esent  I  think  I  can  do  most  good 
here ;  therefore,  here  I  stay."  The  basest  and  most 
scurrilous  attacks  were  common.  It  was  declared 
that  they  were  "  movers  of  sedition  and  ringleaders 
of  the  rabble;"  that  they  taught  "such  absurd  doc- 
trines as  to  give  countenance  to  the  lewd  and  de- 
bauched, the  irreligious  and  profane?"  that  they 
were  "deceivers,"  "babblers,"  "insolent  pretend- 
ers." In  a  poetical  pamphlet  published  in  1739  the 
devil  was  represented  as  having  made  a  tour  fronj 
Home  to  Oxford,  in  the  course  of  which  he  stole 
the  bigoted  madness  of  a  Turk  and  the  wit  of  a 
modern  atheist,  both  of  which  he  drenched  dull 
and  deep  in  a  literary  Dutchman's  brain,  and  then 
making  them  his  own,  etc.,  introduced  himself  to 
the  Methodists  and  gave  them  instructions  how  to 
act — instructions  too  filthy  to  be  here  repeated. 
Such  was  the  storm  in  which  Methodism  was  cra- 
dled.    It  was  niisunderstood  and  opposed  more  (>r 


Building  Schools  and  Churches.  78 

less  actively  even  by  such  men  as  Dr.  Doddridge, 
Hervey,  and  Samuel  Wesley,  friendly  as  they  were 
personally  to  the  Methodist  leaders.  But  none  the 
less  the  latter  kept  calmly  on  their  way. 

Methodism  soon  began  to  assume  a  more  stable 
form.  At  once  they  set  about  building  schools  and 
churches  and  organizing  their  bands.  The  first 
school  attempted  was  at  Kiugswood,  where  the  peo- 
ple, poor  and  ignorant  almost  as  the  beasts  that  per- 
ish, were  utterly  unprovided  for.  The  poor  colliers 
contributed  out  of  their  poverty  twenty  pounds, 
Whitefield  collected  some  eighty  pounds  more,  and 
Wesley  undertook  the  rest,  becoming  himself  re- 
sponsible for  the  payment  of  the  debts.  At  the 
same  time  he  began  to  build  a  room  also  in  Bris- 
tol for  the  use  of  two  "societies,"  by  which  a  debt 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  was  contracted, 
while  the  subscriptions  did  not  amount  to  more 
than  a  quarter  of  that  amount.  But  he  reflected 
that "  the  earth  is  the  Lord's  and  the  fullness  there- 
of," and  Avent  on  with  the  work,  assuming  all  the 
debt.  He  also  began  to  build  a  church  in  London. 
In  November,  on  a  visit  there,  he  had  preached  in 
the  "Foundry,"  a  place  which  had  been  the  king's 
foundry  for  cannon,  but  then  "  a  vast  uncouth  heap 
of  ruins,"  caused  by  an  explosion  that  had  occurred 
there  in  1716.  He  had  immense  congregations, 
and  he  was  pressed  to  buy  the  place  and  fit  it  up 
for  public  worship.     The  purchase-money  was  one 


74  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

hundred  and  fifteen  pounds ;  but  a  large  sum  addi- 
tional would  be  required  to  make  the  needful  re- 
pairs. Wesley  resolved  to  undertake  the  work, 
and  borrowing  the  money  he  bought  the  place  and 
fitted  it  up.  Subscriptions  were  obtained  amount- 
ing in  three  years  to  four  hundred  and  eighty 
pounds,  but  leaving  still  a  balance  of  three  hun- 
dred pounds  unprovided  for,  and  for  which  he  alone 
was  responsible.  By  such  courage,  faith,  and  self- 
denying  enterprise  did  Methodism  rise;  and  these 
were  among  Wesley's  greatest  gifts.  Surely  elo- 
quence and  even  wisdom  and  knowledge  are  neither 
so  strong  nor,  alas!  so  rare  as  these. 

The  "  Foundry "  was  really  the  cradle  of  Lon- 
don Methodism.  The  building  was  about  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  by  ninety-nine  feet.  The  chapel, 
with  its  galleries,  seated  some  fifteen  hundred  per- 
sons on  benches  without  backs,  excepting  about  a 
dozen  seats  with  back-rails  for  the  weaker  women 
in  front.  At  the  end  of  the  chapel  was  a  dwelling- 
house  for  his  domestics  and  assistant  preachers,  and 
behind  it  was  a  band- room  holding  some  three 
hundred  people,  where  the  classes  met,  and  where 
prayer-meetings  were  held  twice  a  week,  and  where 
in  winter  the  "five  o'clock  morning  service"  was 
conducted.  In  this  room,  too,  was  "  the  book-room" 
for  the  sale  of  Wesley's  publications,  fitted  up  at 
the  north  end,  and  overhead  were  apartments  for 
Wesley,  and  where  his  mother  died.     Attached  to 


The  "  United  Societies."  75 

the  whole  was  a  small  building  used  as  a  coach- 
house and  stable.  Such  was  the  first  Methodist 
meeting-house — at  once  a  church  and  a  parsonage. 
Another- most  important  event  in  1739  was  the 
rise  of  the  "  United  Societies."  Up  to  this  time 
the  Methodists  had  organized  no  societies  of  their 
own.  The  "societies"  to  whom  Wesley  had  been 
in  the  habit  of  preaching  before  this  were  of  two 
kinds — one  the  "Moravian  Societies,"  the  first  of 
which  he  had  himself  helped  to  organize  in  Fetter 
Lane,  London,  in  1738;  the  other  the  "Religious 
Societies,"  w^iich  had  been  in  existence  for  many 
years  before,  scattered  over  the  kingdom  and  com- 
posed of  small  gatherings  of  pious  people  met  for 
religious  exercises  and  to  do  works  of  charity. 
But  he  writes:  "Li  the  latter  end  of  the  year  1739 
eight  or  ten  persons  came  to  me  in  London  who 
appeared  to  be  deeply  convinced  of  sin  and  ear- 
nestly groaning  for  redemption.  They  desired  I 
would  spend  some  time  w'ith  them  in  prayer,  and 
advise  them  how  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come. 
That  we  might  have  more  time  for  this  great  work, 
I  appointed  a  time  when  we  might  all  come  to- 
gether, which  from  thenceforward  they  did  every 
Thursday  in  the  evening.  To  these  and  as  many 
more  as  desired  to  join  with  them  (for  the  number 
increased  daily)  I  gave  those  advices,  from  time  to 
time,  which  I  judged  most  needful  for  them;  and 
we   always  concluded   our   meetings  with   prayer 


76  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

suited  to  their  several  necessities.  This  was  the 
rise  of  the  United  Societies,  first  in  London  and 
then  in  other  places."  Rules  of  discipline  were 
soon  added ;  and  from  this  seed  grew  all  the  Meth- 
odist churches  of  Great  Britain  and  America. 

Another  momentous  event  of  this  eventful  year 
was  the  introduction  of  lay  preaching.  In  1735 
John  Cennick,  the  son  of  Quaker  parents  who  had 
piously  reared  him,  was  convicted  of  sin  while 
walking  in  Cheapside.  At  once  he  left  off  his  sins, 
and  prayed  and  fasted  long  and  often,  but  not  till 
September  5,  1737,  did  he  find  peace  with  God. 
Rejoicing  in  his  new-found  happiness,  he  began  to 
preach.  June,  1739,  he  became  head-master  of 
the  school  at  Kingswood.  There,  on  the  failure 
of  a  young  preacher  to  appear  on  an  appointed 
day,  he  was  requested  to  officiate.  He  reluctantly 
consented,  and  again  the  next  day,  and  again  on 
the  following  Sunday.  Meantime  Howell  Harris, 
in  Wales,  without  any  orders,  and  without  any 
acquaintance  with  the  Wesleys,  had  been  preach- 
ing since  1735,  and  was  the  means  of  a  most  glo- 
rious work  of  God  in  his  native  country.  He  and 
Cennick  now  met  Wesley  in  Bristol.  The  three 
fell  upon  their  knees.  Wesley  "was  greatly  en- 
larged," writes  Harris,  "in  prayer  for  me  and  all 
Wales;"  and  both  Cennick  and  Harris  returned  to 
their  respective  fields  of  labor  encouraged  by  Wes- 
ley to  continue  preaching  to  sinners.    Thomas  Max- 


The  Unlettered  Maxfield.  77 

field  and  John  Nelson  soon  after  followed,  and  Jo 
seph  Humphreys,  who  had  also  apparently  assisted 
him,  in  1738,  at  Fetter  Lane. 

This  was  a  most  startling  innovation.  "I  knew 
your  father  well,"  said  the  Archbishop  of  Armagh  to 
Charles  Wesley;  "I  could  never  credit  all  I  heard 
respecting  you;  but  one  thing  in  your  conduct  I 
could  never  account  for — your  employing  laymen." 
"  My  lord,"  said  Charles,  "  the  fault  is  yours  and 
your  brethren's."  "  How  so?"  asked  the  Archbish- 
op. "  Because  you  hold  your  peace  and  the  stones 
cry  out."  "But  I  am  told,"  continued  his  grace, 
"that  they  are  unlearned  men."  "Sometimes  they 
are,"  said  the  sprightly  poet;  "and  so  the  dumb 
ass  rebukes  the  jDrophet."  His  lordship  said  no 
more. 

Whitefied  was  in  doubt.  Wesley  himself,  in  the 
case  of  Maxfield,  was  apprehensive.  Maxfield  was 
one  of  his  first  converts,  and  had  been  with  Charles 
Wesley  for  a  year  or  two  apparently  as  a  servant. 
Being  left  at  the  Foundry  to  meet  the  society  and 
pray  with  them  and  to  give  them  suitable  advice, 
he  was  insensibly  led  to  preach,  and  with  such 
power  that  immbers  were  converted.  Wesley,  hear- 
ing of  this  irregularity,  hurried  to  Londtm  to  put 
a  stop  to  it.  His  mother,  who  then  lived  at  the 
Foundry,  said:  "John,  take  care  what  you  do  in 
respect  of  that  young  man,  for  he  is  as  surely 
called   of  God   to  preach    as  you   are.     Examine 


78  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

what  have  been  the  fruits  of  his  preaching,  and 
hear  him  yourself."  John  did  so,  and  was  con- 
vinced, and  Thomas  went  on  preaching.  Four 
years  after,  he  wrote:  "I  am  bold  to  affirm  that 
these  unlettered  men  have  help  from  God  for  the 
great  work  of  saving  souls  from  death.  But  in- 
deed in  the  one  thing  which  they  profess  to  know 
they  are  not  ignorant  men.  I  trust  there  is  not 
one  of  them  who  is  not  able  to  go  through  such  an 
examination  in  substantial,  practical,  experimental 
divinity,  which  few  of  our  candidates  for  holy 
orders  even  in  the  university  are  able  to  do.  In 
answer  to  the  objection  that  they  are  laymen,  I 
reply:  The  scribes  of  old,  who  were  the  ordinary 
preachers  among  the  Jews,  were  not  priests;  they 
were  not  better  than  the  laymen.  .  .  .  Besides,  in 
how  many  churches  in  England  does  the  parish 
clerk  read  the  whole  service  every  Lord's-day.  .  .  . 
Nay,  is  it  not  done  in  the  universities.  Who  or- 
dained that  singing  man  at  Christchurch,  Oxford, 
murdering  every  lesson  he  reads,  not  endeavoring 
to  read  it  as  the  wprd  of  God,  but  rather  as  an  old 
song?"  In  further  justification  he  states  that  after 
God  had  used  him  and  his  brother  clergymen  in 
several  places  to  turn  many  from  sin  unto  holiness, 
the  ministers  of  those  places  sj)oke  of  them  "as  if 
the  devil — not  God — had  sent  them;  and  repre- 
sented them  as  fellows  not  fit  to  live — paj^ists,  her- 
etics, traitors,  conspirators  against  their  king  and 


Extraordinary  Manifestations.  79 

country ; "  while  the  converts  under  their  ministry 
were  "driven  from  the  Lord's-table,  and  openly 
cursed  in  the  name  of  God."  What  could  be  done 
for  their  regular  instruction?  "No  clergyman 
would  assist  at  all.  The  expedient  that  remained 
was  to  find  some  one  among  themselves  who  Avas 
upright  of  heart  and  of  sound  judgment  in  the 
things  'of  God."  The  attempt  was  made,  and  it 
succeeded.  God  owned  an^l  blessed  it,  and  the 
lay  preachers  became  the  means  not  only  of  en- 
couraging the  converts  and  reclaiming  backsliders, 
but  also  of  converting  sinners. 

Mention  must  be  made  of  the  extraordinary  man- 
ifestations that  attended  Wesley's  preaching  this 
year  at  Bristol  and  the  neighboring  country: 

"April  17. — At  Baldwin  street  we  called  upon 
God  to  confirm  his  word.  Immediately  one  that 
stood  by  cried  out  aloud  with  the  utmost  vehemence, 
even  as  in  the  agonies  of  death.  But  we  contin- 
ued in  prayer  till  a  new  song  was  put  into  her 
mouth,  even  a  thanksgiving  unto  our  Lord.  Soon 
after,  two  other  persons  were  seized  with  strong 
pain  and  constrained  to  roar  for  the  disquietude  of 
their  hearts.  But  it  was  not  long  before  they  too 
burst  forth  into  praise  to  God  their  Saviour.  The 
last  who  called  upon  God  as  out  of  the  belly  of 
hell  was  a  stranger  in  Bristol ;  and  in  a  short  sj^ace 
he  also  was  overwhelmed  with  joy  and  love. 

"April  21,  a  young  man  was  suddenly  seized  ^\ith 


80  lAJe  oj  John  Wesley. 

a  violent  trembling  all  over,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
sunk  to  the  gi-ound. 

"April  27. — At  Newgate  I  was  led  to  pray  that 
God  would  bear  witness  to  his  word.  Immediately 
one  and  another  and  another  sunk  to  the  earth. 
They  fell  on  every  side  as  thunderstruck. 

"May  1. — At  Baldwin  street  my  voice  could 
scarce  be  heard  amidst  the  groanings  of  some  aiud 
the  cries  of  others  calling  aloud  to  Him  that  is 
mighty  to  save.  ...  A  Quaker  who  stood  by  was 
very  angiy,  and  was  biting  his  lips  and  knitting 
his  brows  when  he  dropped  down  as  thunderstruck. 
The  agony  he  was  in  was  even  terrible  to  behold. 
We  prayed  for  him,  and  he  soon  lifted  up  his  head 
with  joy,  and  joined  with  us  in  thanksgiving.  A 
by-stander,  John  Haydon,  a  weaver,  a  man  of  reg- 
ular life  and  conversation,  one  that  constantly  at- 
tended the  public  prayers  and  sacrament,  and  was 
zealous  for  the  Church  and  against  dissentei's,  la- 
bored to  convince  the  people  that  all  this  was  a  de- 
lusion of  the  devil ;  but  next  day,  while  reading 
a  sermon  on  'Salvation  by  Faith,'  he  suddenly 
changed  color,  fell  off  his  chair,  and  began  scream- 
ing and  beating  himself  against  the  ground 

When  I  came  in  he  said :  'Ay,  this  is  he  I  said  de- 
ceived the  people ;  but  God  has  overtaken  me.  I 
said  it  was  a  delusion  of  the  devil,  but  this  is  no 
delusion.'  Then  he  roared  out:  'O  thou  devil!  thou 
cursed  devil! — yea,   thou   legion  of  devils! — thou 


Busy  tuith  the  Converts.  81 

canst  not  stay  in  me!  Christ  will  cast  thee  out.  I 
know  his  work  is  begun.  Tear  me  in  pieces  if  thou 
wilt,  but  thou  canst  not  hurt  me,'  He  then  beat 
himself  against  the  ground,  his  breast  heaving  as 
if  in  the  pangs  of  death,  and  great  dro}5S  of  sweat 
trickling  down  his  face.  We  all  betook  ourselves 
to  prayer.  His  pangs  ceased,  and  both  his  body 
and  soul  were  set -at  liberty." 

Such  extracts  might  be  multiplied.  We  subjoin 
only  two  or  three  more  of  the  most  remarkable : 

"  October  23. — I  was  pressed  to  visit  a  young  wom- 
an at  Kingswood.  I  found  her  on  the  bed,  two  or 
three  |>ersoDS  holding  her.  Anguish,  horror,  and 
despair  above  all  description  appeared  in  her  pale 
face.  The  thousand  distortions  of  her  whole  body 
showed  how  the  dogs  of  hell  were  gnawing  at  her 
heart-  The  shrieks  intermixed  were  scarce  to  be  en- 
dured- She  screamed  out:  'I  am  damned, damned ! 
lost  forever!  Six  days  ago  you  might  have  helped 
me;  but  it  is  past.  I  am  the  devil's  now;  I  have 
given  myself  to  him ;  I  am  his ;  him  I  must  serve ; 
with  him  must  I  go  to  hell;  I  will  be  his;  I  will 
serve  him;  I  will  go  with  him  to  hell;  I  cannot  be 
saved;  I  Avill  not  be  saved;  I  must,  I  will,  I  will 
be  damned ! '  She  then  began  praying  to  the  devil. 
We  began,  'Arm  of  the  Lord,  awake,  awake! '  She 
immediately  sunk  down  as  asleep,  but  as  soon  as 
we  left  off  broke  out  again  with  inexpressible  ve- 
hemence. .  .  .  We  continued  in  prayer  till  past 
6 


82  Ldfe  of  John  Wesley. 

eleven,  when  God  in  a  moment  spoke  peace  to  her 
soul. 

"October  27. — I  was  sent  for  to  Kiugswood  again, 
to  one  of  those  Avho  had  been  so  ill  before.  A  vio- 
lent rain  began  just  as  I  set  out.  Just  at  that  time 
the  woman — then  three  miles  off — cried  out,  'Yon- 
der comes  Wesley  galloping  as  fast  as  he  can  I' 
AVhen  I  was  come  she  burst  into  a  horrid  laughter, 
and  said:  'No  power,  no  power!  no  faith,  no  faith! 
She  is  mine!  her  soul  is  mine!  I  have  her,  and  will 
not  let  her  go!'  Meanwhile  her  pangs  increased 
more  and  more.  .  .  .  One  who  was  clearly  con- 
vinced that  this  was  no  natural  disorder  said:  'I 
think  Satan  is  let  loose.  I  fear  he  will  not  stop 
here; '.and  added,  'I  command  thee,  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  tell  if  thou  hast  commission 
to  torment  any  other  soul.'     It  Avas  immediately 

answered :  '  I  have ;   L y  C r  and  S h 

J s.'      We  betook  ourselves  to  jorayer  again, 

and  ceased  not  till  she  began,  with  a  clear  voice 
and  composed,  cheerfiil  look,  to  sing  'Praise  God, 
from  whom  all  blessings  flow.' " 

At  this  time  L y  C r  and  S h  J s 

were  in  perfect  health,  and  living  some  distance 
away ;  yet  Wesley  writes  the  next  day : 

"  October  28. — I  called  at  Mrs.  J s,  at  Kings- 
wood.     L y  C r  and  S h  J s  were 

there.  It  was  scarce  a  quarter  of  an  hour  before 
the  former  fell  into  a  strange  agony ;  and  presently 


The  Phenomena  Explained.  83 

after,  the  latter.  The  violent  convulsions  all  over 
their  bodies  were  such  as  words  cannot  describe. 
Their  cries  and  groans  were  too  horrid  to  be  borne. 

We  poured  out  our  souls  before  God  till  L y 

C r's  agonies  so  increased  that  it  seemed  she 

was  in  the  pangs  of  death.  But  in  a  moment  God 
spoke,  and  both  her  body  and  soul  were  healed." 

Besides  these,  another  marvelous  case  occurred 
November  30th,  when  seven  pei'sons  were  griev- 
ously tormented ;  and  Wesley  and  his  friends  con- 
tinued in  prayer  from  the  time  of  evening  service 
till  nine  o'clock  next  morning,  or  about  fifteen 
hours — a  case  almost  unparalleled  in  the  history  of 
the  Church.. 

Various  explanations  have  been  offered  for'these 
occurrences ;  but  it  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that,  with 
few^  exceptions,  they  all  took  place  in  the  year  1739, 
under  AVesley's  preaching,  and  in  the  city  and 
neighborhood  of  Bristol.  No  such  demonstration 
seems  to  have  attended  the  preaching  of  Whitefield 
or  Charles  Wesley,  though  quite  as  faithful  as  that 
of  Wesley,  and  far  more  impassioned.  Similar  ef- 
fects followed  the  preaching  of  Cennick  also  at 
Bristol,  and  the  Kev.  Ralph  Erskine  writes  Wesley 
that  they  had  had  something  analogous  in  Scotland 
in  the  revival  that  then  prevailed  there.  Wesley, 
five  years  aftet,  when  he  had  heard  all  that  was  to 
be  said  against  them,  and  after  they  had  ceased, 
gives  the  following  as  his  explanation  of  them  on 


84  Life  of  John  Wesley. 


calm  and  full  consideration;  and  none  better  ia 
likely  to  be  offered.     He  says : 

"They  may  be  easily  accounted  for,  either  on 
principles  of  reason  or  Scripture.  First,  how  easy 
it  is  to  suppose  that  a  strong,  lively,  and  sudden  ap- 
prehension of  the  heinousness  of  sin,  the  wrath  of 
God,  and  the  bitter  pains  of  eternal  death  should 
affect  the  body  as  well  as  the  soul  during  the  pres- 
ent laws  of  vital  union?  .  .  .  Yea,  we  may  question 
whether,  while  this  union  subsists,  it  be  possible  for 
the  mind  to  be  affected  in  so  violent  a  degree,  with- 
out some  or  other  of  those  bodily  symptoms  follow- 
ing. Secondly,  ...  we  are  to  add  to  the  consider- 
ation of  natural  causes  the  agency  of  those  spirits 
who  still  excel  in  strength,  and,  as  far  as  they  have 
leave  from  God,  Avill  not  fail  to  torment  when  they 
cannot  destroy;  to  tear  those  that  are  coming  to 
Christ.  It  is  also  remarkable  that  there  is  plain 
Scripture  precedent  of  every  symptom  which  has 
lately  appeared." 

This  year  Wesley's  mother  attained  to  a  new 
experience.  She  had  begun  to  entertain  "strange 
fears  concerning  him,  being  convinced  that  he  had 
greatly  erred  from  the  faith ; "  but  this  did  not  last 
long.  Wesley  writes :  "  September  3, 1739, 1  talked 
largely  with  my  mother,  who  told  me  that  till  a 
short  time  since  she  had  scarce  heard  such  a  thing 
mentioned  as  having  God's  Spirit  bearing  witness 
with  our  spirit;  much  less  did  she  imagine  that  this 


Publications —  Calvinimi.  ^^ 

was  the  common  privilege  of  all  true  believers. 
'Therefore,'  said  she,  'I  never  durst  ask  it  for  my- 
self; but  two  or  three  weeks  ago,  while  my  son  Hall 
was  pronouncing  these  words  in  delivering  the  cup 
to  me,  'The  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  which 
was  given  for  thee,'  the  words  struck  through  my 
heart,  and  I  knew  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  had  for- 
given me  all  my  sins.' "  After  this  Mrs.  Wesley  re- 
sided chiefly  in  London,  and  heartily  embraced  the 
doctrines  of  John  and  Charles,  and  attended  ujion 
their  ministry. 

Wesley's  publications  now  began  to  be  important. 
Besides  numerous  tracts,"  he  published  in  1739  a 
beautiful  abridgment  of  the  "  Life  of  Halyburton  " 
and  a  book  of  hymns.  A  separation  that  took 
place  in  1741  between  Wesley  and  Whitefield,  and 
their  resj^ective  followers,  on  the  doctrines  of  Cal- 
vinism, added  to  the  list.  Whitefield,  while  in  Amer- 
ica, had  embraced  Calvinistic  views,  and  Wesley  felt 
bound  to  oppose  him.  He  says:  "Call  it  by  Avhat 
name  you  please — 'election,'  'pretention,'  'predesti- 
nation,' or  '  reprobation ' — it  comes  in  the  end  to  the 
same  thing.  The  sense  of  all  is  this :  By  virtue  of 
an  unchangeable,  irresistible  decree  of  God,  one  part 
of  mankind  are  infallibly  saved  and  the  rest  infal- 
libly damned,  it  being  imjDossible  that  any  of  the 
former  should  be  damned  or  that  any  of  the  latter 
should  be  saved."  Such  a  doctrine,  he  asserts, 
among   other   monstrous   consequences,  makes   all 


86  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

preaching  vain,  tends  to  destroy  our  zeal  for  good 
works,  and  makes  God,  in  saying  one  thing  and 
meaning  another — in  pretending  a  love  which  he 
has  not,  and  in  condemning  millions  of  souls  to  ever- 
lasting fire  for  continuing  in  sin,  which,  for  want 
of  grace  he  gives  them  not,  they  are  unable  to 
avoid — "as  more  false,  more  cruel,  and  more  unjust 
than  the  devil."  He  adds:  "This  is  the  blasphemy 
clearly  contained  in  the  horrible  decree  of  predes- 
tination. And  here  I  fix  my  foot;  on  this  I  join 
issue  with  every  asserter  of  it.  You  represent  God 
as  worse  than  the  devil ;  but  you  say  you  can  prove 
it  by  Scripture.  Hold!  What  will  you  prove  l)y 
Scripture?  That  God  is  worse  than  the  devil?  It 
cannot  be.  Whatever  Scripture  proves,  it  never 
can  prove  this;  whatever  its  true  meaning,  tins 
cannot  be  its  true  meaning.  Do  you  ask,  '  What 
is  its  true  meaning  then  ? '  If  I  say  I  know  not 
you  have  gained  nothing,  for  there  are  many  script- 
ures the.  true  sense  whereof  neither  you  nor  I  shall 
know  till  death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory.  But 
this  I  know :  better  it  were  to  say  it  had  no  sense 
at  all  tlian  to  say  it  had  such  a  sense  as  this." 

The  differences  that  had  arisen  between  him  and 
the  London  Moravians  increased,  too ;  and  he  was 
at  length  forbidden  the  use  of  the  Moravian  pul- 
pits. He  then  withdrew  himself  fi-om  them  en- 
tirely. There  w^as  also  much  backsliding  in  the 
societies  at  this  period,  and  a  general  want  of  any 


A  New  Means  Jot  Good.  87 

great  religious  success  during  1740  and  1741.  At- 
tacks upon  him  and  his  doctrines  through  the  press 
steadily  continued,  and  the  mob  kept  up  their  fu- 
rious violence  toward  him  while  preaching;  but 
never  for  a  moment  did  his  courage  or  confidence 
give  way.  He  was  constantly  engaged  in  traveling, 
preaching,  and  writing.  Besides  this,  he  undertook 
various  laborious  works  of  charity  in  Bristol  and 
London  for  the  relief  of  the  poor.  Being  sepa- 
rated from  Whitefield  and  the  Moravians,  he  be- 
gan to  purge  and  organize  more  perfectly  the  socie- 
ties that  were  now  properly  his  own.  Such  as  ap- 
peared guilty,  and  would  not  promise  amendment, 
were  not  allowed  to  remain  with  them.  To  the 
rest  he  gave  tickets,  which  were  renewed  every 
quarter,  ])y  which  he  certified  to  the  membership 
of  those  who  bore  them.  These  he  considered  to 
be  e(|uivalent  to  the  "commendatory  letters"  men- 
tioned in  the  New  Testament ;  and  they  also  gave 
opportunity  of  removing  any  disorderly  member  in 
a  quiet  and  inoffensive  way — i.  e.,  by  ceasing  to  give 
him  a  ticket. 

An  incident  put  a  new  and  most  ]X)tent  means 
for  good  into  his  hands.  At  Bristol  in  1742,  when 
some  of  the  principal  members  had  met  with  Wes- 
ley to  consider  how  they  might  pay  the  large  debt 
that  remained  on  their  meeting-house,  one  of  them 
2.>roposed :  "  Let  every  member  of  the  society  give 
a  penny  a  week   till  the  debt  is  jiaid."     Another 


88  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

answered:  "Many  of  them  are  poor,  and  cannot 
afford  it."  "Then,"  said  the  former,  "put  eleven 
of  the  poorest  with  me ;  and  if  they  can  give  any 
thing,  Avell.  I  will  call  on  them  weekly,  receive 
what  they  give,  and  make  up  what  is  wanting." 
"  It  was  done,"  says  Wesley ;  "  and  in  a  while  some 
of  these  informed  me  they  found  such  and  such  a 
one  did  not  live  as  they  ought.  It  struck  me  that 
this  was  the  very  thing  that  was  wanting  so  long." 
Thus  class-meetings  began.  Each  class  met  once  a 
week  with  their  leader,  who  conversed  with  them 
one  by  one,  each  meeting  being  opened  and  ended 
with  prayer  and  singing.  "  It  can  scarce  be  con- 
ceived," says  Wesley,  "  what  advantages  have  been 
reaped  by  this  providential  regulation.  Many  now 
experienced  that  Christian  fellowship  of  which  they 
had  not  so  much  as  an  idea  before.  They  began  to 
bear  one  another's  burdens,  and  naturally  to  care 
for  each  other's  welfare.  And  as  they  had  a  more 
intimate  acquaintance,  so  they  had  a  more  endeared 
affection  for  each  other.  .  .  .  For  this  I  can  never 
sufficiently  praise  God,  the  unspeakable  usefulness 
of  the  institution  having  ever  since  been  more  and 
more  manifest." 

One  more  strong  weapon  completed  the  equip- 
ment of  Methodism  for  the  holy  warfare.  Hitherto 
Wesley's  only  regular  congi*egations  were  at  Kings- 
wood,  Bristol,  and  the  Foundry.  In  17  12  he  began 
to  enlaiige  the  sphere  of  his  operations,  and  to  em- 


On  His  Preaching  Tours. 


ploy  for  himself  and  his  assistants  the  itinerancy. 
Fourteen  weeks  he  sjient  in  a  tour  through  Wales. 
He  then  took  a  trip  to  the  North  of  England, 
preaching  at  all  the  towns  and  villages  he  came  to, 
and  on  his  return  to  Bristol.  This  was  the  ho 
ginning  of  his  itinerant  labors,  Avhich  thereafter 
never  ceased  to  the  day  of  his  death.  He  soon 
made  it  the  practice  of  all  his  preachers,  and  it  re- 
niains  one  of  the  most  important  institutions  of  all 
important  Methodist  churches  throughout  the  world. 
At  Newcastle,  on  his  arrival  there  May  28, 1742, 
Wesley  Avas  surprised  and  shocked  at  the  abound- 
ing wickedness.  Drunkenness  and  swearing  seemed 
general,  and  even  the  mouths  of  the  little  children 
were  full  of  oaths.  On  Sunday  morning,  at  seven 
o'clock,  he  took  his  stand  near  the  j^ump,  in  "  the 
poorest  and  most  contemptible  part  of  the  town, 
crowded  with  keelmen  and  sailors  using  the  lan- 
guage of  hell."  He  began  by  singing  the  old  hun- 
dredth Psalm  and  tune.  "Three  or  four  people 
came  to  see  Avhat  was  the  matter,"  but  before  he 
finished  preaching  his  congregation  consisted  of 
from  twelve  to  fifteen  hundred  persons.  When  the 
service  was  ended,  "  the  people  stood  gaping  with 
the  most  profound  astonishment,"  upon  Avhich  he 
said :  "  If  you  desire  to  knoAV  who  I  am,  my  name 
is  Jolwi  Wesley.  At  five  in  the  evening,  with  God's 
helj),  I  design  to  preach  heie  again."  At  five  he 
took  his  stand  on  the  hill,  which  was  covered-from 


90  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

top  to  bottom  with  a  congregation  the  largest  he 
had  ever  yet  seen,  though  he  had  preached  some- 
times to  twenty  thousand  people  at  Moorfields  and 
Kensington  Commons,  in  London.  "After  preach- 
ing," he  says,  "  the  poor  people  were  ready  to  tread 
me  under  foot  out  of  pure  love  and  kindness;"  but 
he  could  not  stay.  Next  morning  he  set  out  at 
three  o'clock,  and  rode  about  eighty  miles.  The 
next  day  he  rode  to  Bristol,  on  the  way  holding  a 
prayer-meeting  at  Knaresborough.  At  Bristol  John 
Nelson  lived,  and  here  he  had  been  laboring  with 
great  success.  At  night  Wesley  preached  to  a  vast 
multitude,  and  held  service  for  two  hours  and  a 
half  The  next  three  days  he  spent  preaching  in 
Bristol  and  about  in  the  surrounding  neighborhood. 
He  then  set  out  for  Epworth.  The  next  "day  after 
his  arrival  there  being  Sunday,  he  offered  to  assist 
Mr.  Romley,  the  curate,  either  by  preaching  or 
reading  prayers;  but  hLs  offer  was  declined,  and 
Romley  preached  against  enthusiasts  in  a  very  of- 
fensive sermon.  After  service,  John  Taylor  gave 
notice,  as  the  people  were  coming  out  of  church, 
that  Wesley,  not  being  permitted  to  preach  in  the 
cluircli,  would  pi'cach  in  the  church-yard  at  six 
o'clock.  Accordingly  at  that  hour  he  stood  on  his 
father's  tombstone  and  preached  to  the  largest  con- 
gregation Epw'orth  had  ever  seen.  He  remained 
eight  days,  and  every  night  preached  from  his  fa- 
ther's tombstone.    Here  thov  dared  not  disturb  him. 


Succeasjul  Labors  at  Epworth.  91 


His  preaching  was  attended  with  amazing  power. 
The  people  wept  aloud ;  some  dropped  down  as  dead ; 
his  voice  was  drowned  by  the  cries  of  penitents,  and 
many  found  peace  with  God  in  the  old  church-yard. 
A  gentleman  who  had  not  been  at  public  worship 
of  any  kind  before  for  more  than  thirty  years  stood 
motionless  as  a  statue.  "  Sir,"  asked  Wesley,  "  are 
you  a  sinner?"  "Sinner  enough,"  said  he,  and  still 
stood  staring  upward  till  his  wife  and  servant,  who 
were  both  in  tears,  put  him  into  his  chaise  and  drove 
him  home. 

The  last  service  lasted  about  three  hours.  Wes- 
ley writes:  "We  scarce  knew  how  to  part.  O  let 
none  think  his  labor  of  love  is  lost  because  the  fruit 
does  not  immediately  appear!  Near  forty  years 
did  my  father  labor  here,  but  he  saw  little  fruit  of 
his  labor.  I  took  some  pains  among  this  people  too, 
and  my  strength  also  seemed  spent  in  vain;  but 
now  the  fruit  appeared.  There  were  scarce  any  in 
the  town  on  whom  either  ray  father  or  I  had  taken 
any  pains  formerly ;  but  the  seed  sown  so  long  since 
now  sprung  up,  bringing  forth  repentance  and  re- 
mission of  sins." 

Thus  the  work  was  established  also  at  Epworth. 
In  the  neighborhood  some  societies  had  previously 
been  formed.  "  Their  angry  neighbors,"  says  Wes- 
ley, "  carried  a  whole  load  of  these  new  heretics  be- . 
fore  a  magistrate ;  but  when  he  asked  what  they  had 
done,  there  was  a  deep  silence — for  that  was  a  point 


92  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

their  conductors  had  forgotten.  At  length  one  said : 
"  They  pretend  to  be  better  than  other  people,  and 
pray  from  morning  till  night."  Another  said: 
"They  have  converted  my  wife.  Till  she  went 
among  them  she  had  such  a  tongue,  and  now  she  is 
quiet  as  a  lamb."  "Take  them  back!  take  them 
back!"  cried  the  justice,  "and  let  them  convf  it  all 
the  scolds  in  town ! " 

On  leaving  Epworth  he  went  to  Sheffield,  where 
he  spent  four  days  preaching,  and  thence  to  Coven- 
try, to  Gresham,  and  to  Stroud,  and  thence  to  Bris- 
tol, June  28th. 

July  23,  1742,  his  venerable  mother  passed  from 
earth  to  heaven,  at  the  Foundry.  Charles  was  ab- 
sent, but  John  and  her  five  daughters  were  with 
her.  "She  had  uo  doubt  or  fear,  nor  any  desire 
but  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ."  Early  in  the 
morning  of  the  day  she  died,  on  awaking  out  of 
sleep,  she  cried :  "  My  dear  Saviour,  art  thou  come 
to  help  me  in  my  last  extremity?"  In  the  after- 
noon an  intercessory  meeting  was  held  for  her  in 
the  chapel,  at  the  end  of  which  Wesley  returned  to 
her.  He  found  her  pulse  almost  gone,  and  her 
fingers  dead.  Her  look  was  calm,  and  her  eyes 
fixed  upward.  They  prayed  and  sung  a  requiem. 
Within  an  hour  she  died  without  a  struggle,  or 
groan,  or  sigh.  They  then  gathered  about  her  bed 
and  fulfilled  her  last  request,  uttered  just  before 
she  lost  her  speech :  "Children,  as  soon  as  I  am  re- 


Buries  Sis  Mother — Itinerating.  98 

leased,  sing  a  psalm  of  praise  to  God."  They  sung 
the  psalm,  and  on  Sunday,  August  1st,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  an  immense  multitude,  Wesley  himself 
preached  the  funeral-sermon  from  Rev.  xx.  12,  18, 
and  performed  the  last  rites.  "  It  was,"  says  he, 
"one  of  the  most  solemn  assemblies  I  ever  saw,  or 
expect  to  see  this  side  of  eternity." 

Till  November  Wesley  labored  in  London  and 
Bristol,  but  then,  Charles  Wesley  having  founded 
a  society  at  Newcastle,  he  set  out  for  the  North. 
On  arriving  at  Newcastle,  November  13th,  he  met 
"the  wild,  staring,  loving  society,"  as  he  calls  them, 
and  began  to  preach.  Great  power  attended  him. 
On  one  occasion  six  or  seven  dropped  down  as  dead ; 
another  time  several  of  the  genteel  people  were 
constrained  to  roar  because  of  the  disquietness  of 
their  hearts.  In  six  weeks  there  were  eight  hun- 
dred persons  joined  together  in  society,  besides 
many  others  benefited  in  the  neighboring  towns 
and  villages.  A  meeting-house  became  necessary, 
and  on  December  20  the  foundation-stone  Avas 
laid.  The  building  was  estimated  to  cost  £700, 
and  Wesley  had  just  twenty-six  shillings  toward  it. 
But  he  went  on,  "  nothing  doubting,  but  as  it  was 
begun  for  God's  sake,  he  would  provide  what  was 
needful  for  the  finishing  of  it."  He  preached  his 
farewell  sermon  December  20th.  Men,  women,  and 
children  hung  upon  him ;  and  even  after  he  started 
on  his  journey  "a  muckle  woman"  kept  her  hold 


94  Life  of  John  Wesley. 


of  him  and  ran  by  his  horse's  side  through  thick 
and  thin  till  the  town  was  cleared. 

During  1743  he  extended  his  itinerant  labors 
still  farther,  traveling  into  Cornwall,  and  beyond 
Newcastle  into  the  North  of  England,  enduring 
many  hardships  and  meeting  with  many  strange 
adventures.  On  returning  to  Newcastle,  February 
14th,  he  found  that  seventy-six  had  forsaken  the 
society,  a  large  proportion  of  them  because  their 
ministers  refused  them  the  sacrament  as  long  as 
they  continued  Methodists.  Thirty -three  others 
had  left  because  their  husbands,  wives,  parents, 
masters,  or  acquaintance  objected ;  five  because  such 
bad  things  were  said  of  the  society;  nine  because 
they  would  not  be  laughed  at;  and  one  because  she 
was  afraid  of  falling  into  fits.  Sixty-four  more  he 
expelled,  among  them  two  for  swearing,  two  for  Sab- 
bath-breaking, two  for  selling  liquor,  seventeen 
for  drunkenness,  three  for  quarreling,  one  for  beat- 
ing his  wife,  three  for  lying,  one  for  laziness,  and 
twenty-nine  for  lightness  and  carelessness. 

In  Stafibrdshire,  in  "the  black  country,"  there 
began  about  this  time  to  be  dreadful  riots,  the  mob 
breaking  the  houses  and  furniture  of  the  Method- 
ists, and  beating  Wesley  himself  almost  to  death. 
So  it  was  also  in  Cornwall.  Many  of  these  out- 
rages were  prompted  by  the  parsons,  and  the  mag- 
istrates would  give  no  protection.  But  God  pro- 
tected them,  and  their  work  prospered.     Often  the 


Delivered  from  a  Mob.  95 

ilngleaders  of  the  mob  would  themselves  l)e  con- 
verted. At  Walsal,  in  Staffordshire,  the  rioters 
seized  Wesley,  and  driving  oif  all  his  friends,  sur- 
rounded him.  Some  one  tried  to  grasp  him  by  the 
collar  and  drag  him  down;  a  big  fellow  just  behind 
struck  him  several  times  with  a  club;  one  man 
struck  him  in  the  breast,  and  another  on  the  mouth, 
so  that  the  blood  gushed  out.  He  stood  and  asked, 
"Are  you  willing  to  hear  me  speak?"  They  cried, 
"No,  no!  Knock  out  his  brains!  down  with  him! 
kill  him  at  once!"  Wesley  asked  again:  "What 
evil  have  I  done?  Which  of  you  have  I  wronged 
in  word  or  deed?"  Again  they  cried,  "Bring  him 
away!  bring  him  away!"  Wesley,  upon  this,  be- 
gan to  pray,  and  instantly  a  man  who  just  before 
had  headed  the  mob  turned  and  said:  "Sir,  I  will 
spend  my  life  for  you ;  follow  me,  and  no  one  shall 
hurt  a  hair  of  your  head."  Two  or  three  others 
then  joined  him,  one  of  them  a  prize-fighter  in  a 
beer-garden,  and  Wesley  was  sa'ved.  He  writes: 
"A  little  before  ten  o'clock  God  brought  me  safe  to 
W^ednesburg,  having  lost  only  one  flap  of  my  waist- 
coat and  a  little  skin  from  one  of  my  hands.  From 
the  beginning  to  the  end  I  found  the  same  presence 
of  mind  as  if  I  had  been  in  my  own  study." 

Five  days  after,  Charles  Wesley  walked  through 
the  town  and  boldly  preached  from  Eev.  ii.  10: 
"  Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou  shalt  suffer; 
behold,  the  devil  shall  cast  some  of  you  into  prison. 


96  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

that  ye  may  be  tried;  and  ye  shall  have  tribulation 
ten  days;  be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will 
give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  He  says:  "It  was  a 
most  glorious  time.  Our  souls  were  satisfied  as 
with  marrow  and  fatness." 

In  Cornwall  much  hardship  was  endured.  Wes- 
ley and  John  Nelson  traveled  and  slept  together. 
Their  bed  was  the  floor.  Wesley  used  Nelson's 
top  coat  for  his  pillow,  and  Nelson  took  "  Burkitt's 
Notes"  for  his.  One  morning  Wesley  turned  over 
and,  slapping  Nelson  on  theside,  jocularly  exclaimed, 
"  Brother  Nelson,  let  us  be  of  good  cheer,  for  the 
skin  is  off  but  one  side  yet!"  It  was  seldom  that 
any  one  gave  them  either  meat  or  drink.  One  day 
as  Wesley  stopped  to  eat  blackberries,  he  said: 
"Brother  Nelson,  we  ought  to  be  thankful  that 
there  are  plenty  of  blackberries,  for  this  is  the  best 
country  I  ever  saw  for  getting  an  appetite,  but  the 
worst  for  getting  food."  But  Cornwall  soon  had 
flourishing  societies  established,  and  Methodist  itin- 
erants suffered  no  longer. 

In  Loudon  two  more  chapels  were  secured  in 
1743.  The  same  year  the  "  General  Eules  "  were  first 
adopted  and  published  at  Newcastle.  The  appoint- 
ment of  stewards  in  the  several  societies  was  now 
also  begun,  and  the  organization  of  the  "United 
Societies"  was  complete. 

Meantime  it  w^as  found  that  the  Methodists  "  died 
well."     Elizabeth  Davis,  after  she  was  speechles."^, 


Some  Important  Duties.  97 


was  desired  to  hold  up  her  hand  if  she  knew  she 
was  going  to  God,  and  immediately  she  held  up 
both.  Another  said:  "I  am  very  ill,  but  I  am 
very  well  0  I  am  happy,  happy,  happy !  My 
spirit  rejoices  in  God  my  Saviour.  Life  or  death 
is  all  one  to  me.  I  have  no  darkness,  no  cloud. 
My  body  indeed  is  weak  and  in  pain,  but  my  soul 
is  all  joy  and  praise."  John  Woolley,  a  child  of 
thirteen  years,  threw  his  arms  wide  open  and  said, 
"Come,  come,  Lord  Jesus,  I  am  thine!"  and 
breathed  his  last.  Among  others  Heziah  Wesley, 
"full  of  thoughtfiilness,  resignation,  and  love,  com- 
mended her  soul  into  the  hands  of  Jesus  and  fell 
on  sleep." 

Visiting  the  sick  in  person  Wesley  insisted  upon 
.as  an  imperative  Christian  duty ;  sending  help  was 
not  enough.  "  One  great  reason,"  he  says,  "  why 
the  rich  have  so  little  sympathy  for  the  poor  is  be- 
cause they  so  seldom  visit  them.  .  .  .  All  who  de- 
sire to  escape  the  everlasting  fire,  and  to  inherit  the 
everlasting  kingdom,  are  equally  concerned  accord- 
ing to  his  power  to  practice  this  important  duty." 

Family  religion  and  the  instruction  of  children 
was  another  most  important  duty  in  Wesley's  eyes. 
In  a  tract  he  published  upon  the  subject,  translated 
from  the  French,  he  asserts  that  "the  wickedness 
of  children  is  generally  owing  to  the  fault  or  neg- 
lect of  their  parents.  The  souls  of  children  ought 
to  he  fed  as  often  as  their  bodies;"  and  Methodists 


98  Lift  of  John  Wesley. 


are  urged  iitjt  to  seud  their  sous  "to  any  of  the 
large  public  schools  (for  they  are  nurseries  of  all 
uianuer  of  wickedness),  but  to  a  j^rivate  school, 
kept  by  some  pious  man  who  endeavors  to  instruct 
a  select  number  of  children  in  religion  and  learn- 
ing." AVesley  no  doubt  spoke  from  his  own  expe- 
rience at  the  Charterhouse  school.  He  also  pub- 
lished a  sermon  on  the  same  subject,  as  well  as  an 
abridgment  of  a  work  on  "Learning  and  Knowl- 
edge," by  Dr.  John  Norris.  The  following  extract 
shows  his  views  on  an  important  matter  in  this  con- 
nection : 

"  I  cannot,  with  any  patience,  reflect  that  out  of 
so  short  a  time  as  human  life — consisting,  it  may  be, 
of  fifty  or  sixty  years — nineteen  or  twenty  shall  be 
spent  in  hammering  out  a  little  Latin  and  Greek, 
and  in  learning  a  company  of  poetical  fictions  and 
fantastic  stories.  .  .  .  How  many  excellent  and 
useful  things  might  be  learned  while  boys  are 
thumbing  and  murdering  Hesiod  and  Homer! 
Of  what  significance  is  such  stuflP  as  this  to  the  ac- 
complishments of  a  reasonable  soul  ?  What  ira- 
provemenc  can  it  be  to  my  understanding  to  know 
the  amours  of  Pyramus  and  Thisbe,  or  of  Hero 
and  Leander?  Let  any  man  consider  human  nat- 
ure and  tell  me  whether  a  boy  is  fit  to  be  trusted 
with  Ovid.  And  yet  to  books  such  as  these  our 
youth  is  dedicated,  .  ,  .  The  measure  of  prosecut- 
ing learning  is  its  usefulness  to  uood  life,  and  couso- 


His  Educational  Vieics.  99 

qiiently  all  prosecution  of  it  beyond  or  besides  this 
end  is  impertinent  and  immoderate.  For  my  own 
part  I  intend  to  study  nothing  at  all  but  what  serves 
to  the  advancement  of  piety  and  good  life.  I  have 
spent  about  thirteen  years  in  the  most  celebrated 
university  in  the  world  in  pursuing  both  such  learn- 
ing as  the  academical  standard  requires  and  as  my 
private  genius  inclined  me  to ;  but  I  intend  to  spend 
my  uncertain  remainder  of  time  in  studying  only 
what  makes  for  the  moral  improvement  of  my  mind 
and  the  regulation  of  my  life.  More  particularly, 
I  shall  apply  myself  to  read  such  books  as  are 
rather  persuasive  than  instructive ;  such  as  warm, 
kindle,  and  enlargfe  the  affections,  and  awaken  the 
divine  sense  in  the  soul ;  being  convinced  by  every 
day's  experience  that  I  have  more  need  of  heat 
than  light;  though  w^ere  I  for  more  light,  still  1 
think  the  love  of  God  is  the  best  light  of  the  soul 
of  man." 

All  may  not  agree  with  him,  but  Wesley  was  a 
wise  man.  In  matters  in  which  he  had  such  personal 
experience  his  words  deserve  very  serious  attention. 
Let  it  be  remembered  that  he  was  no  fanatic,  he 
was  the  embodiment  of  common  sense — only  it  was 
all  religious  sense. 

Instances  of  his  practical  common  sense  are 
found  in  his  dealing  with  some  honest  but  mis- 
guided people  who  mingled  dross  with  their  gold. 
One  convert,  a  few  days  after  his  conversion,  came 


100  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

riding  through  Newcastle,  hallooing  and  shouting 
and  driving  all  the  people  before  him,  telling  them 
that  God  had  revealed  to  him  that  he  should  be  a 
king,  and  should  tread  all  his  enemies  under  his 
feet.  Wesley  arrested  him  and  sent  him  home,  ad- 
vising him  to  cry  day  and  night  to  God,  lest  the 
devil  should  gain  an  advantage  over  him.  On  an- 
other occasion  two,  who  called  themselves  prophets, 
came  to  Wesley  in  London,  stating  that  they  were 
sent  from  God  to  say  he  would  shortly  be  "  born'd 
again,"  and  that  unless  he  turned  them  out  they 
would  stay  in  the  house  till  it  was  done.  He  gravely 
answered  that  he  would  not  turn  them  out,  and 
took  them  down  into  the  room  of  the  society.  Here 
he  left  them.  "It  was  tolerably  cold,  and  they  had 
neither  meat  nor  drink.  However,  there  thcy  sat 
from  morning  to  evening,  when  they  quietly  went 
away,  and  I  have  heard  nothing  from  them  since." 


CHAPTKR  IV. 

First  Conferences  —  Ireland — Arrested  —  John  Nelson  — 
Helping  the  Poor— Education — Personal  Appearance — • 
Sanctification — Apostolical  Succession — "Harmless  Di- 
versions"— Happy  Experiences — Methodist  Soldiers — 
Converted  Children. 

"TTT"ESLEY'S  first  Conference  was  held  Mon- 
V  V  day,  June  5,  1744,  at  the  Foundry  in  Lon- 
don, and  continued  five  days.  Besides  the  two 
Wesleys,  four  clergymen — John  Hodges,  Henry 
Piers,  Samuel  Taylor,  and  John  Meriton — were 
present;  and  four  lay  preachers — Thomas  Richards, 
Thomas  Max  field,  John  Bennett,  and  John  Downes. 
The  day  before  the  Conference  met,  besides  the 
usual  Sunday  service  at  the  Foundry,  a  love-feast 
was  held  and  the  sacrament  administered  to  the 
whole  of  the  London  society,  numbering  between 
two  thousand  and  three  thousand  souls.  The  next 
Jay  the  Conference  proceeded  to  business.  It  was 
stated  that  the  Methodists  were  divided  into  four 
sections:  (1)  The  United  Societies,  consisting  of  all 
awakened  persons  who  would  join ;  (2)  the  bands, 
or  those  who  were  thought  to  have  remission  of 
sins;  (3)  the  select  societies,  composed  of  those 
who  seemed  to  walk  in  the  light  of  God's  counte- 
nance;  and  (4)  the  penitents,  or  persons  who  for 

non 


102  Life  of  JoJm  Wesley. 

the  present  were  fallen  from  grace.  Regulations 
were  adopted  in  regard  to  three  points:  (1)  What 
to  teach;  (2)  how  to  teach;  (3)  how  to  regulate 
doctrine,  discipline,  and  practice.  The  rules  for 
the  preachers  were  substantially  the  same  as  now 
exist.  In  addition,  they  were  "  as  often  as  possible 
to  rise  at  four  o'clock ;  to  spend  two  or  three  min- 
utes every  hour  in  earnest  prayer;  to  observe 
strictly  the  morning  and  evening  hour  of  retire- 
ment; to  rarely  employ  above  an  hour  in  conver- 
sation; to  keep  watch-nights  once  a  month;  to 
speak  freely  to  each  other,  and  never  to  part  with- 
out prayer." 

From  this  time  Conferences  were  held  annually. 
The  next  year  they  met  in  Bristol,  as  also  the  next 
two  years  following.  At  the  Conference  of  1745 
fourteen  itinerants  were  reported  to  be  then  at 
work  in  England  and  Wales.  In  1747  there  were 
twenty-two,  besides  thirty-two  local  preachers  and 
all  the  Calvinistic  Methodists. 

They  now  crossed  over  into  Ireland.  In  1745 
an  English  soldier  had  formed  a  small  society  in 
Dublin  and  preached  to  them.  Soon  after,  Benja- 
min La  Trobe,  a  Baptist  student  from  Glasgow,  ar- 
rived and  became  their  leader;  and  in  1746  John 
Cennick  came  over  on  invitation  of  the  society 
and  preached  with  such  success  that  the  society 
soon  increased  to  about  two  hundred  members. 
Then  Thomas  Williams,  one  of  Wesley's  itinerants. 


More  Fahe  Charges.  103 

came,  formed  another  society,  and  wrote  for  Wes- 
ley. Wesley  determined  to  go  Avitliout  delay,  and 
arrived  in  Dublin  August  9,  1747.  He  preached 
the  same  day,  and  continued  laboring  for  a  fort- 
night, when  he  returned  to  London,  being  succeed- 
ed by  his  brother  Charles.  This  was  the  first  of 
forty-nine  times  that  he  crossed  the  Irish  Channel 
in  his  labor  of  love.  The  results  were  great.  The 
societies  increased  rajjidly  in  the  island;  some  of 
Wesley's  most  eminent  colaborers,  such  a^  Thomas 
Walsh,  Adam  Clarke,  Henry  Moore,  and  others, 
were  gained  here;  and  it  was  by  the  hand  of  his 
Irish  converts  that  Methodism  was  afterward  plant- 
ed in  America,  and  either  ])lanted  or  nourished  in 
the  West  Indies,  in  Africa,  India,  and  Australia. 

Everywhere  pei-secution  \\as  rife.'  At  Oxford, 
after  Wesley  had  preached  a  sermon  in  which  he 
had  dealt  faithfully  with  the  members  of  the  uni- 
versity, he  was  no  longer  allowed  to  preach  there, 
though  his  office  as  fellow  required  it.  Attacks 
through  the  press  increased  both  in  number  and 
violence.  Gibson,  Bishop  of  London,  issued  a 
pamphlet  charging  the  Methodists  with  setting  the 
Government  at  defiance  and  breaking  the  rules  of 
the  Church  of  Avhich  they  were  members,  besides 
doing  a  disservice  to  religion  by  their  doctrines 
and  practices,  among  which  he  specifies  "  their  set- 
ting the  standard  of  religion  so  high."  The  Bishop 
of  Lichfield  published  "A  Charge  Against  Enthu- 


104  Life  of  John  Wesley . 

siasm,"  in  which  he  declared  them  "vain  and  en- 
thusiastical,"  etc.  Several  others  of  less  note  but 
of  greater  virulence  published  tracts  lampooning 
and  abusing  them  as  "a  set  of  creatures  of  the 
lowest  rank,  most  of  them  illiterate  and  of  desper- 
ate fortunes;  cursing,  reviling,  and  showing  their 
teeth  at  every  one  that  does  not  a})prove  of  their 
frenzy  and  extravagance;"  "crafty  and  malicious;" 
"hot-brained  cobblers,"  etc. 

A  malicious  accusation  that  threatened  serious 
consequences  was  that  they  were  rebels  to  the  king 
and  Jesuits  in  disguise.  England  was  then  in  a 
ferment  of  excitement  under  apprehension  of  pub- 
lic danger.  On  February  15,  1744,  the  king  had 
received  information  that  the  French,  under  the 
Pretender,  and  in  support  of  the  Catholic  cause, 
were  about  to  invade  England.  Great  prepara- 
tions were  made.  Troops  w^ere  raised,  and  every 
thing  put  into  a  posture  of  defense.  The  coast  was 
watched  with  the  utmost  care,  and  all  reputed  pa- 
pists were  forbidden  to  remain  within  ten  miles  of 
London  and  Westminster.  The  Methodists  were 
said  to  be  Catholics  because  they  insisted  so  strong- 
ly on  the  necessity  of  good  woi'ks.  A  magistrate 
came  to  the  house  where  Wesley  lodged  in  search 
of  papists.  Wesley  satisfied  him  for  the  time,  and 
he  went  away.  But  in  a  short  time  after,  Wesley 
received  a  summons  to  appear  before  the  court. 
He  did  so,  but  upon  his  taking  the  oaths  of  fealty 


Charles  Arrested.  105 


to  the  king  and  signing  the  declaration  against 
popery,  he  was  permitted  to  go  in  peace.  Still  it  was 
currently  reported  that  he  had  been  seen  with  the 
Pretender  in  France.  Charles  Wesley,  too,  hap- 
pened to  pray  that  "the  Lord  would  call  home  his 
banished ; "  and  this  was  construed  as  a  prayer  for 
the  Pretender,  and  he  was  summoned  to  appear  be- 
fore the  court  to  answer  the  charge  of  having  ut- 
tered "treasonable  words."  He  appeared  on  the 
day  fixed,  and  engaged  to  prove  that  the  Method- 
ists "  to  a  man  were  true  membei's  of  the  Church 
of  England  and  loyal  subjects,"  and  then  desired 
them  to  administer  to  him  the  oaths.  All  the  wit- 
nesses retracted  their  accusations,  but  he  was  kept 
eight  hours  enduring  insults  at  the  magistrates' 
door  until  they  told  him  he  might  go,  for  they  had 
naught  against  him.  "  Sir,"  said  Charles,  "  that  is 
not  sufficient ;  I  cannot  depart  till  my  character  is 
cleared."  At  length  their  worships  reluctantly  ac- 
knowledged that  his  "  loyalty  was  unquestioned,'' 
and  he  took  his  leave  for  Bristol,  where  the  Meth 
odists  met  him  on  a  hill,  and  joined  him  in  "sing-' 
ing  praises  lustily  and  with  a  good  courage." 

Yet  at  Brecon,  in  August,  the  grand  jury  made 
a  presentment  to  the  judge  that  "  the  Methodists 
held  illegal  meetings,"  and  that  they  "collected 
together  great  numbers  of  disorderly  persons,  very 
much  endangering  the  peace  of  our  sovereign  lord 
the  king,"  and  requesting  the  judge,  if  the  aut'hor- 


106  Life  of  John  Wedey. 

ity  of  the  present  court  was  not  sufficient,  to  apply 
to  some  superior  authority  to  put  an  end  to  the 
''villainous  scheme"  of  "such  dangerous  assem- 
blies." Meantime  the  violence  of  the  mob  was 
invoked  to  do  what  the  law  refused.  ''In  Corn- 
wall," says  Wesley,  "the  war  against  the  Method- 
ists was  carried  on  with  far  more  vigor  than  that 
against  the  Spaniards."  Thomas  Westall  was  pulled 
down  Avhile  preaching  and  committed  to  the  house 
of  correction  as  a  vagrant,  where  he  was  kept  till 
the  next  quarter  sessions.  At  St.  Ives  they  saluted 
Wesley  with  stones  and  dirt,  and  pulled  down  the 
meeting-house  "for  joy  that  Admiral  Matthews  had 
beat  the  Spaniards."  A  poor  woman  complained 
to  the  mayor  that  some  one  had  thrown  a  huge 
stone  into  her  house  and  come  within  a  few  inches 
of  killing  her  sucking  child.  His  worship  damned 
her,  and  said  she  might ^o  about  her  business.  At 
Exeter  a  mob  gathered  at  the  door  of  the  meeting- 
house and  pelted  those  who  entered  with  potatoes, 
mud,  and  sticks.  On  coming  out  all  were  beaten 
'without  exception,  many  trampled  under  foot,  and 
some  of  the  women  lamed,  and  others  stripped 
and  then  rolled  into  the  kennel,  their  faces  being 
smeared  with  lamp-black,  flour,  and  dirt.  Threats, 
too,  were  frequently  made  of  impressing  into  the 
army  all  who  attended  their  meetings;  and  a  num- 
ber of  Wesley's  itinerants  actually  were  impressed, 
John  Nelson  anions  them. 


Arrest  oj  John  Nelson.  107 

Sometimes,  however,  the  Methodists  came  off 
victors.  At  Nottingham,  before  he  had  been  im- 
pressed, Nelson  was  assailed  by  a  mob  who  sui'- 
rounded  the  meeting-house  and  threatened  to  pull 
it  down.  The  constable  arrested  John  for  creating 
the  riot  and  took  him  to  an  alderman,  the  crowd 
following  with  huzzas  and  curses.  The  alderman 
asked  his  name,  and  said:  "I  wonder  you  cannot 
'stay  at  home ;  you  see  the  mob  won't  suffer  you  to 
preach  at  Nottingham."  John  replied  that  he  had 
not  been  aware  that  Nottingham  was  governed  by 
a  mob,  most  towns  being  governed  by  their  magis- 
trates, and  immediately  began  to  preach  and  "  set 
life  and  death  before  him."  "  Do  n't  preach  here," 
said  the  alderman ;  while  the  constable  began  to  be 
uneasy,  and  asked  how  he  was  to  dispose  of  his 
prisoner.  "Take  him  to  your  house,"  said  the  al- 
derman. The  constable  asked  to  be  excused;  and 
at  length  was  directed  to  "conduct  him  back  to  the 
place  fi-om  which  he  had  brought  him,  and  to  be 
careful  he  was  not  injured."  "So,"  says  honest 
John,  "he  brought  me  to  our  brethren  again,  and 
left  us  to  give  thanks  to  God  for  all  his  mercies." 
On  another  occasion  at  Norwich,  while  the  mob 
were  shouting,  swearing,  and  throwing  stones  at 
the  front  of  Isaac  Barnes's  house  because  he  was  a 
Methodist,  his  sister  quietly  heated  the  poker,  and 
then  letting  it  cool  till  it  had  lost  its  redness,  she 
rushed  into  the  street  and  pretended  to  strike  tha 


108  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

absembled  ruffians.  One  seized  the  poker,  but  in- 
stantly let  it  go.  Others  in  quick  succession  did 
the  same ;  and  in  a  little  while  most  of  the  valorous 
crowd  Avere  in  burning  agony,  and,  surprised  and 
scattered,  they  beat  a  hasty  retreat. 

However,  Methodism  still  made  its  way.  Wes- 
ley and  his  itinerants  continued  incessantly  to  preach 
and  labor  throughout  the  kingdom.  Wesley  was 
always  on  the  wing,  and  yet  he  found  time  to  read 
and  write  and  visit,  besides  organizing  and  pushing 
forward  all  sorts  of  important  enterprises.  In  Lon- 
don in  1746,  observing  the  fi-equent  need  by  the 
poor — who  came  to  him  for  food  and  clothing — of 
physic  and  medical  attendance  also,  he  "  thought 
of  a  kind  of  desperate  expedient:  'I  will  prepare 
and  give  them  physic  myself"  He  had  made  the 
study  of  medicine  his  diversion  for  many  years;  he 
now  applied  himself  to  it  anew,  and  took  to  his 
assistance  an  apothecary  and  an  experienced  sur- 
geon. "In  five  months  medicines  were  given  to 
above  five  hundred  persons."  Thus  was  founded 
the  first  free  dispensary  in  England,  though  not 
without  considerable  opposition  from  physicians  and 
others. 

He  was  also  anxious  that  his  preachers  should 
study.  Devoutly  thankful  as  he  was  for  his  uned- 
ucated but  soul-saving  itinerants,  he  saw  that  if 
intellectually  and  socially  inferior  to  their  neigh- 
bors, while  they  might  be  successful  in  the  convcr- 


Orphan-houHe  and  Poor-house.  109 

sion  of  ignorant  and  rude  sinners,  they  would  be 
in  danger  -of  being  neglected  if  not  despised  by 
those  who  were  superior.  Accordingly  he  ad- 
dressed Dr.  Philip  Doddridge,  then  at  the  head  of 
a  school  in  England,  asking  his  advice  as  to  Avhat 
books  to  recommend.  Doddridge  replied,  naming 
various  works  on  logic,  metaphysics,  ethics,  Jewish 
antiquities,  history,  science,  and  divinity,  from 
which  he  probably  furnished  a  list  to  his  j^i'each- 
ers. 

He  also  had  his  "orphan-house"  at  New'castle, 
at  once  a  place  of  worship,  a  school  and  home  for 
orphans,  Wesley's  northern  home,  and  the  "theo- 
logical institution"  for  his  preachers.  On  his  visit 
in  1747  there  were  several  young  men  there  pre- 
paring for  the  itinerancy,  with  whom  Wesley,  dur- 
ing his  stay,  "  read  over  a  compendium  of  rhetoric 
and  a  system  of  ethics." 

He  had  also,  in  connection  with  the  Foundry  in 
London,  a  "poor-house,"  consisting  of  two  small 
houses,  Avhere  needy  and  deserving  widows  were 
maintained.  In  1748  Wesley  Avrites:  "In  this  we 
have  now  nine  widows,  one  blind  woman,  two  poor 
children,  and  two  upper  servants — a  maid  and  a 
man.  I  might  add  four  or  five  preachers;  for  1 
myself,  as  well  as  the  other  preachers  who  are  in 
town,  diet  with  the  poor,  on  the  same  food  and  at 
the  same  table;  and  we  rejoice  herein  as  a  com- 
fortable earnest  of  our  eating  bread  together  in 


1 J  0  Life  of  John  Wedey. 

our  Father's  kingdom."  Then  there  was  a  lending 
society.  Observing  that  people  often  needed  small 
sums  of  money  which  they  did  not  know  where  to 
borrow,  Wesley  Avent  from  one  end  of  London  to 
another  begging ;  and  in  this  way,  and  by  a  public 
collection  afterward,  he  at  length  raised  a  fund  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds.  This  was  lodged 
in  the  hands  of  stewards,  who  attended  every 
Tuesday  morning  for  the  purpose  of  lending  tc 
those  who  wanted  any  small  amount,  not  exceed- 
ing five  pounds,  to  be  repaid  within  three  months. 
Hundreds  of  the  honest  poor  were  greatly  assisted 
by  this  device. 

He  also  issued  many  valuable  publications  from 
1744  to  1747.  Among  them  was  a  tract  on  "  Re- 
vivals of  Religion,"  extracted  from  the  writings  of 
Jonathan  Edwards,  and  designed  to  meet  the  ob- 
jections made  to  his  work  by  the  arguments  of 
another.  The  following  is  a  synopsis:  "It  is  no 
sign  that  a  work  is  not  divine  because  it  is  carried 
on  in  a  way  unusual  and  extraordinary.  'The 
Spirit  is  sovereign  in  his  operations.  Neither  is 
a  work  to  be  judged  by  any  effects  on  the  bodies 
of  men,  such  as  tears,  tremblings,  groans,  etc.;  for 
there  is  reason  to  believe  that  great  outpourings  of 
the  Spirit,  both  in  the  prophetic  and  apostolic 
ages,  Avere  not  wholly  without  these  extraordinary 
effects.  Further,  though  many  of  the  convert? 
may  be  guilty  of  great  imprudences  and  irregular- 


Other  Publications.  Ill 

ities,  neither  is  this  a  sign  that  the  work  is  not  the 
work  of  God;  for  in  a  mixed  multitude  of  wise 
and  unwise,  young  and  old,  all  under  powerful  im- 
pressions, no  wonder  that  some  should  behave  them- 
selves imprudently.  It  was  thus  in  the  apostolic 
Churches,  and  this  is  not  unlikely  to  continue  while 
weakness  is  one  of  the  elements  of  human  nature. 
There  may  be  errors  in  judgment  and  some  delu- 
sions of  Satan  intermixed  with  the  revival,  but 
that  is  not  conclusive  evidence  that  the  work  in 
general  is  not  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Some 
may  fall  into  scandalous  practices;  but  if  we  look 
into  Church  history  we  shall  find  no  instance  of  a. 
great  revival  of  religion  but  what  has  been  attend- 
ed with  such  rela})ses.  The  work  may  have  been 
promoted  by  ministers  strongly  preaching  the  ter- 
rors of  the  law;  but  what  of  that?  If  there  be 
really  a  hell  of  dreadful  and  never-ending  tor- 
ments, ought  not  those  exposed  to  it  be  earnestly 
warned  of  their  fearftil  danger?  It  may  be  un- 
reasonable to  think  of  frightening  a  man  to  heaven, 
but  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  frighten  him  away 
from  hell." 

He  also  published  "A  Word  to  a  Drunkard"  and 
"A  Word  to  an  Unhappy  Woman,"  besides  other 
needful  tracts,  Amono:  other  things  he  animad- 
verts  on  "  harmless  diversions,"  and  records  notable 
testimony  as  to  their  harmful  influence.  Charles 
Wesley  was  preaching  against  them  at  Lane-east. 


112  Lije  of  John  Wesley. 

iu  Cornwall,  in  a  church  of  which  the  venerable 
Mr.  Bennett  was  the  clergyman,  two  other  clergy- 
men— Messrs.  Meriton  and  Thompson — being  also 
among  his  auditors.  "By  harmless  diversions," 
exclaimed  Charles,  "I  was  kept  asleep  in  the  dev- 
il's arms  secure  in  a  state  of  damnation  for  eight- 
een years ! "  No  sooner  had  he  said  this  than  Mer- 
iton added  aloud,  "And  I  for  twenty-five. "  "And 
I,"  cried  Thompson,  "for  thirty-five."  "And  I," 
said  the  aged  Bennett,  "  for  above  seventy." 

A  most  important  change  in  AVesley's  views  now 
took  place.  As  late  as  1745,  in  a  letter  to  Westley 
Hall,  he  had  expressed  in  the  strongest  manner 
that  there  was  "a  threefold  order  of  ministers  not 
only  authorized  by  its  apostolical  institution,  but 
also  by  the  written  word,"  and  that  it  w'ould  be 
wrong  to  administer  baptism  or  the  Lord's  Supper 
Avithout  "  a  commission  so  to  do  from  those  bishops 
whom  we  apprehend  to  be  in  a  succession  from  the 
apostles."  In  short,  he  was  still  as  high  a  Church- 
man as  he  Avell  could  be.  But  January  20,  1746, 
on  the  road  to  Bristol,  he  read  Lord  King's  great 
work  on  the  "  Constitution  of  the  Primitive  Church," 
etc.,  in  which  the  learned  author  shows  that  bishops 
and  presbyters  are  the  same  order.  He  was  con- 
vinced, and  writes:  "In  spite  of  the  vehement 
prejudices  of  my  education,  I  was  ready  to  believe 
that  this  was  a  fair  and  impartial  draught."  His 
views  were  modified,  and  though  some  lingering 


The  Rule  of  His  Life,  113 

traces  of  High-ehurchism  perhaps  clung  to  him  for 
many  years,  he  was  no  longer  a  bigot. 

\yesley  was  now  past  forty  years  of  age.  His 
personal  api>earance  is  thus  described  by  the  cele- 
brated Dr.  Kennscott,  who  heard  him  preach  his 
last  sermon  at  Oxford  in  1744:  "He  is  neither  tall 
nor  fat,  for  the  latter  would  ill  become  a  Methodist. 
His  black  hair,  quite  smooth  and  parted  very  ex- 
actly, added  to  a  peculiar  composure  in  his  counte- 
nance, showed  him  to  be  an  uncommon  man.  His 
prayer  -was  soft,  short,  and  conformable  to  the  rules 
of  the  university.  His  text  was  Acts  iv.  31.  He 
spoke  it  very  slowly,  and  with  an  agreeable  em- 
phasis. When  he  came  to  what  he  called  his  plain, 
practical  conclusion,  he  fired  his  address  with  so 
much  zeal  and  unbounded  satire  as  quite  spoiled 
W'hat  otherwise  might  have  been  turned  to  great 
advantage.  ,  .  .  Had  these  things  been  omitted, 
and  his  censures  moderated,  I  think  his  discourse 
as  to  style  and  delivery  would  have  been  uncom- 
monly pleasing.  He  is  allowed  to  be  a  man  of 
great  parts,  and  that  by  the  excellent  dean  of 
Christchurch  (Dr.  Conybeare);  for  the  day  he 
preached  the  dean  generously  said  of  him :  'John 
Wesley  will  always  be  thought  a  man  of  sound 
sense,  though  an  enthusiast.'  In  reference  to  the 
latter  charge,  made  also  by  another,  AVesley  an- 
swered :  *  I  make  the  word  of  God  the  rule  of  all  my 
actions,  and  no  more  follow  any  secret  impulses  in- 
8 


1 1 4  Life  of  John  Wesley. 


stead  of  it  than  I  follow  Mohammed  or  Confucius. 
I  rest  not  on  ecstasies  at  all,  for  I  never  feel  them, 
but  judge  of  my  spiritual  estate  by  the  improve- 
n]ent  of  my  heart  and  the  tenor  of  my  life  con- 
jointly. I  desire  neither  my  dreams  nor  my  wak- 
ing thoughts  to  be  at  all  regarded,  unless  just  so 
far  as  they  agree  with  the  oracles  of  God.' " 

Happy  in  his  work,  notwithstanding  all  its  hard- 
ships and  all  its  dangers,  and  happy  in  the  love  of 
God  that  burned  brightly  in  his  soul,  the  opinions 
of  men  of  the  world  were  of  little  moment  to  him. . 
His  constant  cheerfulness  under  all  his  trials  was. 
proverbial.  He  writes  to  his  friend  Blackwell, 
while  on  a  journey:  "1  am  content  with  whatever 
entertainment  I  meet  with,  and  my  companions  are 
always  in  good  humor,  'because  they  are  with  me.' 
This  must  be  the  spirit  of  all  who  take  journeys 
with  me.  If  a  dinner  ill  dressed,  a  hard  bed,  a 
poor  room,  a  shower  of  rain,  or  a  dirty  road,  will 
put  them  out  of  humor,  it  lays  a  burden  upon  me 
greater  than  all  the  rest  put  together.  By  the 
grace  of  God,  I  never  fi-et ;  I  repine  at  nothing ;  I 
am  discontented  with  nothing.  And  to  have  per- 
sons at  my  ear  fretting  and  murmuring  at  every 
thing,  is  like  tearing  the  flesh  off  my  bones." 

But  his  spirit  was  often  sweetly  refreshed.  Mon- 
day, Dec.  23,  1744,  he  writes  in  his  jouraal:  "In 
tlie  evening,  while  I  was  reading  prayers  at  Snows- 
fields,  I  found  such  liy;ht  and  strength  as  I  never 


His  Spiritual  Strength.  11  ■> 

remember  to  have  had  before.  .  .  .  Tuesday,  25th, 
I  waked,  by  the  grace  of  God,  in  the  same  spirit; 
and  about  eight,  being  with  two  or.  three  that  be- 
lieved in  Jesus,  I  felt  such  an  awe  and  tender  sense 
of  the  presence  of  God  as  greatly  confirmed  me 
therein.  So  that  God  was  before  me' all  the  day 
long.  I  sought  and  found  him  in  every  place,  and 
could  truly  say,  when  I  lay  down  at  night,  '  Now  I 
have  lived  a  day.'"  At  Newcastle,  July,  1748: 
"Sunday,  17. — We  had  a  glorious  hour  in  the 
morning.  At  half  an  hour  past  eight  I  preached 
in  the  Castle-garth,  and  again  at  four  in  the  after- 
noon to  a  vast  multitude  of  people.  Monday,  18. — 
In  the  afternoon  we  rode  to  Widdington.  The  peo- 
I^le  flocked  in  from  all  parts.  It  was  a  delightful 
evening,  and  a  delightful  place  under  the  shade  of 
tall  trees,  and  every  man  hung  upon  the  word ; 
none  stirred  his  head  or  hand,  or  looked  to  the 
right  or  left,  while  I  declared  in  strong  terms  the 
grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Thursday,  21. — 
At  seven  I  preached  (at  Berwick)  to  a  far  larger 
congregation  than  before;  and  now  the  word  of 
God  was  as  a  fire  and  a  hammer.  I  began  again 
and  again  after  I  had  thought  I  had  done,  and  the 
latter  words  were  still  stronger  than  the  former ;  so 
that  I  was  not  surprised  at  the  number  which  at- 
tended next  morning,  when  we  had  another  joyful, 
solemn  hour.  Sunday,  24. — I  preached  at  five  (at 
Newcastle  again),  at  half-past  eight  in  the  Castle- 


116  Life  of  John  Wesley. 


garth,  and  at  four  in  the  afternoon.  I  was  weary 
and  fiiint  when  I  began  to  speak,  but  my  strength 
was  quickly  renewed.  Thence  we  went  to  the  so- 
ciety. I  had  designed  to  read  the  Rules,  but  I 
could  not  get  forward.  As  we  began  so  we  went 
on  till  eight  o'clock,  singing  and  rejoicing  and 
praising  God.  Thursday,  28.— We  rode  over  to 
Nint-head,  where  I  preached  at  eight.  We  then 
went  to  Alstone.  At  noon  I  preached  at  the  cross. 
In  the  evening  I  preached  at  Hindley-hill  again, 
and  we  praised  God  with  joyful  lips.  Tuesday, 
August  2. — I  preached  about  noon  at  Biddick,  and 
at  Pelton  in  the  evening.  I  intended  to  give  an 
exhortation  to  the  society,  but  as  soon  as  we  met 
the  spirit  of  supplication  fell  upon  us,  so  that  I 
could  hardly  do  any  thing  but  pray  and  give 
thanks,  till  it  was  time  for  us  to  part." 

Such  extracts  might  be  multiplied.  They  con- 
tinually recur  throughout  his  journal,  and  show 
that  "the  joy  of  the  Lord  was  his  strength."  The 
happy  experiences,  too,  of  his  converts  were  cause 
for  rejoicing.  One  of  these  was  a  poor  old  woman 
in  Glasgow.  Meeting  on  the  street  one  day  the 
minister  of  the  kirk  she  had  been  accustomed  to 
attend,  he  accosted  her:  "0  Janet,  where  have  ye 
been,  woman?  I  have  na  seen  ye  at  the  kirk  for 
long."  "I  go,"  said  Janet,  "among  the  Method- 
ists." "Am«ng  the  Methodists ! "  said  the  minister ; 
"why,  what  gude  get  ye  there,  woman?"     "Glory 


Soldier  Methodists.  117 

to  God ! "  replied  Janet.  "  I  do  get  gude,  for  God 
for  Christ's  sake  has  forgiven  me  au  my  sins!" 
"Ah,  Janet,"  said  the  minister,  "  be  not  high-minded, 
but  fear;  the  devil  is  a  cunning  adversary."  "I 
dunna  care  a  button  for  the  deevil,"  answered  Ja- 
net; "I've  gotten  him  under  my  feet.  I  ken  the 
deevil  can  do  muckle  deal,  but  there  is  ane  thing 
he  canna  do."  "What  is  that,  Janet?"  "He 
canna  shed  abroad  the  love  of  God  in  my  heart; 
and  I'm  sure  I've  got  it  there!"  "Weel,  wed," 
replied  the  good  man,  "if  ye  have  got  it  there, 
Janet,  hold  it  fast,  and  never  let  it  go." 

Thomas  Beard,  "a  quiet  and  peaceable  man,  who 
had  lately  been  torn  from  his  trade  and  wife  and 
children,  and  sent  away  as  a  soldier  for  no  other 
crime,  real  or  pretended,  than  that  of  calling  sin- 
ners to  repentance,  sunk  after  awhile  under  his  bur- 
den ;  but  his  soul  was  in  nothing  terrified  by  his 
adversaries.  His  fervor  increasing,  he  was  lodged 
in  the  hospital  at  Newcastle,  where  he  still  praised 
God  continually.  He  was  let  blood,  but  his  arm 
festered,  mortified,  and  was  cut  off";  two  or  three 
days  after,  God  signed  his  discharge  and  called  hinj 
up  to  his  eternal  home."  John  Evans,  another 
soldier,  became  deeply  convicted  and  sought  for- 
giveness with  tears.  "But  October  23d,  as  Will- 
iam Clements  was  at  prayer,"  he  writes,  "  I  felt  on 
a  sudden  a  great  alteration  in  my  soul.  My  eyes 
overflowed    with   tears  of  love.      I   knew  I   was 


118  Life  of  John  Wesley. 


through  Christ  reconciled  to  God,  which  inflamed 
my  soul  with  fervent  love  to  him  whom  I  noAV  saw 
to  be  my  complete  Redeemer."  Wesley  adds :  "  He 
continued  both  to  preach  and  live  the  gospel  till 
the  battle  of  Fontenoy.  One  of  his  companions 
saw  him  there  laid  across  a  cannon  (both  of  his 
legs  having  been  taken  off  by  a  chain-shot)  prais- 
ing God  and  exhorting  all  that  were  round  about 
him ;  which  he  did  till  his  spirit  returned  to  God." 
God's  grace  was  sufficient  to  keep  his  servants 
steadfast  even  in  the  army,  while  it  also  made  them 
famous  for  their  courage  in  the  field.  England 
had  no  braver  soldiers  than  the  Methodists,  and 
Methodism  had  no  truer  disciples  than  those  in  the 
ranks  of  war.  The  following  extracts  from  two 
soldiers,  writing  to  Wesley  from  the  field  of  battle, 
illustrates  what  spirit  they  were  of:  "  On  the  29th 
we  marched  close  to  the  enemy,  and  when  I  saw 
them  in  their  camp  my  bowels  moved  toward  them 
in  love  and  pity  for  their  souls.  We  lay  on  our 
arms  all  night.  In  the  morning,  April  30th,  the 
cannon  began  to  play  at  half  an  hour  after  four, 
and  the  Lord  took  away  all  fear  from  me,  so  that 
I  went  into  the  field  with  joy.  The  balls  flew  on 
either  hand,  and  men  fell  in  abundance,  but  noth- 
ing touched  me  till  about  two  o'clock;  then  I  re- 
ceived a  ball  through  my  left  arm,  and  rejoiced  so 
much  the  inore.  Soon  after,  I  received  another  into 
my  right,  which  obliged  me  to  quit  the  field ;  but  I 


The  Conversion  of  Children.  119 

scarce  knew  whether  I  was  on  earth  or  in  heaven. 
[t  was  one  of  the  sweetest  days  I  ever  enjoyed." 

And  again  from  the  other:  "April  30. — The 
Lord  was  j^leased  to  try  our  little  flock,  and  to 
show  them  his  mighty  power.  Some  days  before, 
one  of  them,  standing  at  his  tent-door,  broke  out 
into  raptures  of  joy.  In  the  battle  before  he  died 
he  openly  declared :  '  I  am  going  to  rest  from  my 
labors  in  the  bosom  of  Jesus.'  I  believe  nothing 
like  this  was  ever  heard  of  before  in  the  midst  of 
so  wicked  an  army  as  ours.  Some  were  crying  out 
in  their  wounds,  'I  am  going  to  my  Beloved;'  oth- 
ers, '  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly.'  There  \vas 
such  boldness  in  the  battle  among  the  little  despised 
flock  that  it  made  the  officers  as  well  as  the  com- 
mon soldiers  amazed ;  and  they  acknowledge  it  to 
this  day.  The  hotter  it  grew  the  more  strength 
was  given  me.  I  was  full  of  joy  and  love,  as  much 
as  I  could  well  bear.  Going  on,  I  met  one  of  the 
l)rethren  with  a  little  dish  in  his  hand  seeking  for 
water.  He  smiled,  and  said  he  had  'got  a  sore 
wound  in  his  leg.'  I  asked,  'Have  you  gotten 
Christ  in  your  heart?'  He  answered:  'I  have,  and 
I  have  had  him  all  the  day.  Blessed  be  God  that 
I  ever  saw  your  face!'" 

The  glorious  work  reached  the  hearts  of  children 
also.  Some  very  remarkable  cases  are  recorded  by 
Wesley.  A  few  of  these  we  give,  to  show^  that  tlie 
conversion  of  children,  even  in  their  earliest  years, 


120  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

has  been  characteristic  of  Methodism  from  the  btv 
giiming.  September,  1744,  he  writes  in  his  journal : 
"Sunday,  16. — 1  buried  near  the  same  place  one 
who  had  finished  her  course,  going  to  God  in  the 
full  assurance  of  faith,  when  she  was  little  more 
than  four  years  old.  In  her  last  sickness  (having 
been  deeply  serious  in  her  behavior  for  several 
months  before)  she  spent  all  the  intervals  of  her 
convulsions  in  speaking  of  or  to  God ;  and.  when 
she  perceived  her  strength  to  be  nearly  exhausted 
she  desired  all  the  family  to  come  near,  and  prayed 
for  them  all,  one  by  one ;  then  for  her  ministers,  for 
the  Church,  and  for  all  the  world.  A  short  time 
after,  recovering  from  a  fit,  she  lifted  up  her  eyes 
and  said,  'Thy  kingdom  come,'  and  died."  And 
in  March,  1745:  "Tuesday,  18,  I  rode  to  Ponte- 
fract;  on  Wednesday  to  Epworth,  and  on  Thurs- 
day, by  Barley-hall,  to  Sheffield.  I  was  glad  of 
having  an  opportunity  here  of  talking  with  a  child 
I  had  heard  of  about  eight  years  of  age.  She  was 
convinced  of  sin  some  weeks  before  by  the  words 
of  her  elder  brother,  dying  in  the  full  triumph  of 
faith.  I  asked  her  abruptly,  'Do  you  love  God?' 
She  said,  'Yes,  I  do  love  him  with  all  my  heart.' 
I  said,  'Why  do  you  love  him?'  She  answered, 
'Because  he  saved  me.'  I  asked,  'How  has  he 
saved  you?'  She  replied,  'He  has  taken  away  ray 
sins.'  I  said,  'How'  do  you  know  that?'  She  an- 
swered: 'He  told  me  himself  on  Saturday,  "Thy 


Teachmg  of  the  Holy  Ghost  121 


sins  are  forgiven  thee,"  and  I  believe  him ;  and  I 
pray  to  him  without  a  book.  I  was  afraid  to  die, 
but  now  I  am  not  afraid  to  die ;  for  if  I  die  I  shall 
go  to  him.'" 

June,  1746,  he  writes  again :  "  Saturday,  28. — I 
inquired  more  particularly  of  Mrs.  N.  concerning 
her  little  son.  She  said  'he  appeared  to  have  a 
continual  fear  of  God,  and  an  awful  sense  of  his 
presence;  that  he  frequently  went  to  prayers  by 
himself,  and  prayed  for  his  father  and  many  others 
by  name ;  that  he  had  an  exceeding  great  tender- 
ness of  conscience,  being  sensible  of  the  least  sin, 
and  crying  and  refusing  to  be  comforted  when  he 
thought  he  had  in  any  thing  displeased  God ;  that 
a  few  days  since  he  broke  out  into  prayer  aloud, 
and  then  said:  "Mamma,  I  shall  go  to  heaven 
soon,  and  be  with  the  little  angels;  and  you  will 
go  there  too,  and  my  papa,  but  you  will  not  go  so 
soon;"  and  that  the  day  before  he  went  to  a  little 
girl  in  the  house  and  said :  "  Polly,  you  and  I  must 
go  to  prayers.  Do  not  mind  your  doll;  kneel 
down  now,  I  must  go  to  prayers;  God  bids  me.'" 
Wesley  adds:  "When  the  Holy  Ghost  teachers,  is 
there  any  delay  in  learning?  This  child  was  then 
just  three  years  old.  A  year  or  two  aftei',  he  died 
in  i:)eace." 


CHAPTER  V. 

Toils  and  Dangers — Grimshavv  —  Cliarles  Wesley's  Mar- 
riage—True Keligion — Grace  Murray — The  Earthquake 
— Taming  the  Shrews — Preachers. 

IN  1748,  after  visiting  Bristol,  Leeds,  and  other 
places,  Wesley  set  out  for  Ireland.  Three  weeks, 
however,  elapsed  before  the  weather  allowed  him 
to  set  sail.  The  interval  he  spent  in  preaching  in 
churches  and  chapels,  in  inns  and  in  the  open  air. 
He  reached  Dublin  at  length  on  March  8th,  and 
next  morning  preached  at  five  o'clock.  From  Dub- 
lin he  went  on  a  tour  through  the  country,  preach- 
ing, visiting,  and  meeting  the  classes  till  the  end  of 
INTay,  when  he  returned  to  England.  On  the  2d,  of 
June  he  held  his  Annual  Conference  in  London. 
A  few  days  after  he  went  to  Bristol,  and  opened 
Kingswood  school.  Three  days  after,  he  set  out  for 
the  North  of  England,  preaching  on  the  way  at  all 
the  towns  and  villages  through  which  he  passed,  un- 
til he  reached  Newcastle  July  9th.  Here  he  spent 
more  than  five  weeks  on  Newcastle  Circuit,  constant- 
ly laboring,  till  on  the  IGtli  of  August  he  started 
southward  again.  On  the  Avay  he  continued  to 
preacli  and  visit  the  societies  as  usual,  and  met  with 
many  adventures.  At  Halifax  he  attempted  to 
preach  tu  an  "iuHuoH^o  number  of  j)eo])k^  roaring 
(122) 


Grimshaw  and  Colbeck.  128 

like  the  Avaves  of  the  sea."  A  man  threw  money 
among  the  crowd,  creating  great  disturbance.  Wes- 
ley was  besmeared  with  dirt,  and  had  his  cheek 
hud  open  by  a  stone.  Finding  it  impossible  to 
make  himself  heard,  he  adjourned  to  a  meadow 
near  by,  and  spent  an  hour  with  those  that  followed 
him  "in  rejoicing  and  praising  God."  At  HaAvorth 
he  met  Avith  GrimshaAV,  the  incumbent  of  the  parish 
— a  Methodist,  and  of  the  noblest  kind.  "In  the 
surrounding  hamlets  he  Avas  accustomed  to  preach 
from  tA\elve  to  thirty  sermons  AA'eekly.  Of  strong 
mental  power,  and  educated  at  Cambridge,  he  yet 
accommodated  himself  to  his  rustic  hearers.  His 
power  in  prayer  was  marvelous.  Often  he  Avould 
sleep  in  his  OAvn  hay-loft  simply  to  find  room  in  the 
parsonage  for  strangers.  Upon  the  bleak  mount- 
ains— often  in  rain  and  snow,AA"ith  no  regular  meals, 
and  sometimes  Avith  but  a  crust — he  unweariedly 
pursued  his  itinerant  labors  Avith  a  cheerful  and 
grateful  spirit.  His  dress  Avas  plain,  and  sometimes 
shabby.  Often  he  had  but  one  coat  and  one  pair 
of  shoes,  because  of  his  benevolence.  His  congrega- 
tions were  rude  and  rough,  but  hundreds  of  them 
were  converted  through  his  preaching.  He  died 
April  7, 1763,  saying:  '  I  am  as  happy  as  I  can  be 
on  earth,  and  as  sure  of  heaven  as  if  I  was  in  it.' 
On  his  coffin  was  inscribed  the  words,  '  For  me  to 
live  is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain.' " 

From  HaAvorth  Wesley,  in  company  with  Griin- 


124  Lij'e  of  John  Wesley. 


shaw  and  Colbeck,  went  to  Kouglilee.  Here  the 
mob,  with  the  connivance  of  the  magistrate,  assault- 
ed them.  Wesley  was  struck  in  the  face,  beaten  to 
the  ground,  and  forced  into  a  house.  Grimshaw 
and  Colbeck  Avere  used  with  the  utmost  violence, 
and  covered  with  sludge.  One  person  was  dragged 
by  the  hair,  some  were  beaten  with  clubs,  others 
trampled  in  the  mire.  All  this  outrage  was  incited 
by  the  Rev.  Geo.  White,  a  popish  renegade,  but 
now  the  curate  of  Colne.  At  Bolton  the  mob 
thrust  him  down  once  or  twice,  but  he  continued 
to  preach.  Stones  were  thrown  and  attempts  made 
to  silence  him.  One  man  began  to  bawl  in  his  ear, 
when  a  missile  struck  him  on  his  cheek,  and  he 
stopped.  Another  was  forcing  his  way  through  the 
crowd  to  him  when  a  stone  hit  him  in  the  forehead 
and  covered  his  face  with  blood.  A  third  reached 
forth  to  seize  him,  when  a  sharp  flint  struck  him 
on  the  knuckles  and  made  him  quiet.  So  preach- 
ing, Wesley  got  back  to  London  September  4. 
Here  he  spent  a  week,  then  went  to  Cornwall; 
thence  to  Bristol,  and  back  to  London  again  Oc- 
tober 15,  where  he  continued  to  labor  till  the  close 
of  the  year. 

At  the  Conference  of  this  year  the  preachers  were 
directed  to  visit  the  poor  members  as  much  as  the 
rich;  in  general,  not  to  pray  in  public  more  than 
eight  or  ten  minutes  at  a  time ;  and  to  avoid  popu- 
larity— /.  e.,  "the  gaining  a  greater  degree  of  esteem 


Oiarles  Married — More  Bot  ks.  1 25 

or  love  from  the  people  than  is  for  the  glory  of 
God."  There  was  another  matter  of  great  inter- 
est and  importance.  Five  years  before,  in  his 
•'  Thoughts  on  Marriage  and  Celibacy,"  Wesley  had 
strongly  commended  a  single  life.  Charles  Wesley 
was  now  courting  Miss  Sarah  Gwynne,  a  lady  every 
way  suited  to  him ;  but  his  brother's  tract  stood  in 
the  way.  The  Conference  took  the  subject  up,  and, 
says  Wesley,  "in  a  full  and  friendly  debate,  con- 
vinced me  that  a  believer  might  marry  without  suf- 
fering loss  in  his  soul."  Accordingly,  on  April  8 
of  the  following  year,  Charles  was  married  by  his 
brother,  who  writes:  "It  was  a  solemn  day,  such 
as  became  the  dignity  of  a  Christian  marriage." 
Charles  himself  says :  "  We  were  cheerful  without 
mirth,  serious  without  sadness;  and  my  brother 
seemed  the  happiest  person  among  us." 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  Wesley  began  to  pub- 
lish "  all  that  is  most  valuable  in  the  English  tongue 
in  three-score  or  four-score  volumes,  in  order  to 
provide  a  complete  library  for  those  who  fear  God." 
This  involved  immense  additional  labor  through 
seven  years,  in  which  time  he  completed  it,  under 
the  title  "A  Christian  Library."  In  the  same  pe- 
riod, notwithstanding  a  long  and  serious  illness,  and 
besides  his  usual  labors,  he  prepared  and  published 
certain  books  of  instruction  for  Kingswood  school, 
his  "  Notes  on  the  New  Testament,"  and  numerous 
controversial  and  other  tracts,  among  them  one  on 


126  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

"Directions  Concerning  Pronunciation  and  Gest- 
uro."  He  also  spent  a  month  in  lecturing  to  his 
preachers  gathered  at  Kingswood.  No  one  wa? 
more  removed  from  fanaticism  than  he;  but  neither 
did  he  believe  in  the  sufficiency  of  human  learning 
and  reason.  "Human  learning,"  said  he,  "is  by 
no  means  to  be  rejected  from  religion ;  but  if  it  is 
considered  as  a  key,  or  the  key  to  the  mysteries  of 
our  redemption,  instead  of  opening  to  us  the  king- 
dom of  God,  it  locks  us  up  in  our  own  darkness. 
God  is  an  all-speaking,  all-working,  all-illuminating 
essence,  possessing  the  depths  of  every  creature  ac- 
cording to  its  own  nature;  and  when  we  turn  from 
all  impediments  the  divine  essence  becomes  as  cer- 
tainly the  true  light  of  our  minds  here  as  it  will  be 
hereafter.  This  is  not  enthusiasm,  but  the  words 
of  truth  and  soberness."  This  opinion  was  con- 
firmed by  experience.  Thus  at  Lim.erick  he  writes : 
"  The  more  I  converse  with  this  people  the  more  I 
am  amazed.  That  God  hath  wrought  a  great  work 
among  them  is  manifest ;  and  yet  the  main  part  of 
them — believers  and  unbelievers — are  not -able  to 
give  a  rational  account  of  the  plainest  principles  of 
religion.  It  is  plain  God  begins  his  work  at  the 
heart;  then  'the  inspiration  of  the  highest  giveth 
understanding.' "  Fourteen  years  afterward,  in  de- 
fending his  employment  of  unlearned  lay  preach- 
ers, he  says:  "What  I  believe  concerning  learning 
is  this— that  it  is  highly  expedient  for  a  guide  of 


ISuccess  in  Ireland — Outrages.  127 

souls,  but  not  necessary.  What  I  believe  to  be  al> 
solutely  necessary  is  a  faith  unfeigned,  the  love  of 
God  and  our  neighbor,  a  burning  zeal,  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  Christ's  kingdom,  with  a  heart  and 
life  wholly  devoted  to  God.  These  1  judge  to  be 
necessary  in  the  highest  degree ;  and  next  to  these 
a  competent  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures,  a  sound 
understanding,  a  tolerable  utterance,  and  a  willing- 
ness to  be  as  the  filth  and  oifscouring  of  the  world." 
He  further  advises  no  one  above  twenty  years  of 
age  to  think  of  learning  Greek  or  Latin,  on  the 
ground  that  he  could  then  employ  his  time  abun- 
dantly better.  French  he  considered  "  the  poorest, 
meanest  language  in  Europe — no  more  comparable 
to  the  German  or  Spanish  than  a  bagpipe  is  to  an 
(u-gan." 

In  Ireland  he  met  with  much  success,  though  he 
had  great  opposition.  All  sorts  of  slanders  were 
circulated  against  him.  At  Bandon  it  was  asserted 
that  Methodism  was  all  Jesuitism  at  bottom;  at 
Blarney  that  the  Methodists  placed  all  religion 
"  in  wearing  long  whiskers."  At  Cork,  by  the  se- 
cret plottings  of  the  clergy,  a  mob  was  raised  that 
committed  the  most  horrible  outrages  against  the 
Methodists  for  months  together,  unchecked  by  the 
mayor.  Women  as  well  as  men  were  beaten  and 
wounded  nearly  to  death,  their  houses  broken  and 
their  goods  destroyed.  Depositions  were  laid  before 
the  grand  jury  of  the  Cork  assizes  respecting  the 


128  Lije  of  John  Wedey. 

leaders  of  the  mob ;  tliey  were  all  thrown  out,  but 
the  grand  jury  made  a  presentment,  to  wit:  "That 
Charles  Wesley  and  seven  other  Methodist  preach- 
ers therein  named  were  all  persons  of  ill- fame,  vag- 
abonds, and  common  disturbers  of  his  majesty's 
peace,  and  ought  to  be  transjDorted."  Next  spring 
several  of  these  preachers  presented  themselves  for 
trial.  They  were  ordered  into  the  dock  of  com- 
mon criminals.  Butler,  a  mean  fellow,  the  leader 
of  the  rabble,  was  the  first  witne&s  against  them. 
The  judge,  looking  at  him  with  a  suspicious  eye, 
asked  wdiat  his  calling  was.  The  worthless  fellow 
hung  his  head,  and  sheepishly  replied :  "  I  sing  bal- 
lads, my  lord."  The  judge  lifted  up  his  hands  in 
surj^rise,  and  said:  "Here  are  six  gentlemen  in- 
dicted as  vagabonds,  and  the  first  accuser  is  a  vag- 
abond by  profession."  A  second  witness  impudent- 
ly answered:  "I  am  an  anti-swaddler,  my  lord." 
The  judge  resented  his  insolence,  and  ordered  him 
out  of  the  room.  Then  turning  to  the  jury  he  rep- 
rimanded the  corporation  and  others  for  suffering 
such  a  vagrant  as  Butler  to  be  the  ringleader  of  a 
rabble,  and  commit  such  atrocious  outrages  upon 
so  many  of  the  peaceable  and  respectable  inhabit- 
ants of  the  city;  and  declared  it  was  an  insult  to 
the  court  to  bring  such  a  case  before  him. 

A.n  event  that  caused  Wesley  deep  pain  now 
occurred.  Grace  Murray,  a  young  and  talented 
widow  of  mean  extraction,  but  a  zealous,  energetic, 


Grace  Murray — Earthquake  iu  London.     129 

and  successful  female  itinei'ant,  was  chosen  by  liini 
to  be  his  wife,  and  they  became  formally  ent^a^ed. 
She  seems,  however,  to  have  chiefly  consulted  her 
ambition  in  thus  acceding  to  Wesley's  proposal, 
while  her  heart  was  really  given  to  John  Bennett, 
one  of  Wesley's  most  able  and  best  educated  i)reach- 
ers.  This  was,  however,  unknown  to  Wesley  until 
she  wrote  him  asking  his  consent  to  her  mari-iage 
to  Bennett.  Wesley  was  "  utterly  amazed,"  but 
wrote  a  mild  answer,  "supposing  they  were  already 
married;"  but  she  hesitated,  came  baok  to  Wesley, 
again  returned  to  Bennett,  and  so  coquetted  be- 
tween the  two,  though  without  the  knowledge  of 
either,  for  six  months,  until  Charles,  who  strongly 
opposed  the  marriage  on  the  ground  that  she  was 
unsuitable  for  his  brother,  on  his  return  from  a 
visit  to  the  latter,  met  her,  took  her  behind  him  to 
Newcastle,  where  Bennett  was,  and  in  a  week  mar- 
ried them.  The  whole  matter  was  one  of  the  se- 
verest trials  of  Wesley's  life. 

In  February,  1750,  an  earthquake  occurred  that 
filled  London  with  alarm.  Exactly  a  month  after- 
ward a  second  shock,  longer  and  more  violent,  was 
felt;  and  ten  days  later  another.  People  became 
frantic  with  fear.  Meantime  a  crazy  soldier  proph- 
esied that  on  the  4th  of  April  there  would  be  anoth- 
er earthquake  that  would  destroy  half  of  London. 
When  the  night  arrived,  people  left  their  houses 
and  crowded  into  the  parks  and  other  open  places. 
9 


130  Life  of  John  Wesley. 


The  cliiirclies  were  packed,  especially  the  chapels 
of  the  Methodists.  In  Hyde  Park,  at  midnight, 
amid  dense  darkness,  and  surrounded  by  terror- 
stricken  multitudes,  Whitefield  preached  on  the 
coming  judgment  of  the  last  day,  the  wreck  of 
nature,  and  the  sealing  of  man's  eternal  destinies. 
Wesley  remained  in  London  for  three  weeks  after 
the  first  shock,  and  held  "a  solemn  fast  day"  and  . 
two  watch-night  meetings,  besides  other  services. 
He  then  set  out  for  Bristol,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  brother  Charles,  who  preached  at  least  four 
times  respecting  the  fearful  events  then .  agitating 
the  public  mind.  He  also  issued  a  pamphlet  en- 
titled "Hymns  Occasioned  by  the  Earthquake," 
containing  nineteen  hymns,  and  breathing  a  happy 
hopeful  spirit.  In  the  midst  of  the  commotion  the 
cruelly  treated  and  broken-hearted  Mehetabel  Wes- 
ley died,  and  was  buried  by  Charles,  who  preached 
from  the  text,  "  Thy  sun  shall  no  more  go  down, 
neither  shall  thy  moon  withdraw  itself;  for  the 
Lord  shall  be  thine  everlasting  light,  and  the  days 
of  thy  mourning  shall  be  ended." 

On  the  19th  of  March  Wesley  set  out  for  Ireland. 
On  the  way  he  overtook  John  Lane,  a  preacher  in 
the  third  year  of  his  itinerancy,  who  had  set  out 
from  Bristol  with  three  shillings  in  his  pocket.  Six 
nights  out  of  seven  he  had  been  entertained  by 
strangers,  and  on  his  arrival  had  just  a  penny  left. 
Five  months  afterward  this  brave  itinerant  died, 


Incidents  in  Ireland.  131 

his  last  words  being,  "  I  have  found  the  love  of  God 
in  Christ  Jesus."  "All  his  clothes,"  writes  a  friend 
who  was  with  him  at  the  time,  "linen  and  woolen, 
his  stockings,  hat,  and  wig,  are  not  thought  suffi- 
cient to  pay  his  funeral  expenses,  which  amount  to 
£1 17s.  3d.  All  the  money  he  had  was  one  shilling 
and  four  pence."  "Enough,"  adds  Wesley,  "for 
any  unmarried  preacher  of  the  gospel  to  leave  to 
his  executors." 

In  Ireland  several  incidents  occurred  worthy  oi 
record.  One  day  he  rode,  with  but  an  hour  oi 
two's  intermission,  from  five  in  the  morning  till 
nearly  eleven  at  night — about  ninety  miles — when 
he  came  to  Aymo,  where  he  wished  to  sleep ;  but 
the  woman  who  kept  the  inn  refused  him  admit 
tance,  and  let  loose  four  dogs  to  worry  him.  At 
Portarlington  he  had  the  task  of  reconciling  two 
termagant  women,  who  talked  for  three  hours,  and 
gi-CAV  warmer  and  warmer  till  they  were  almost  dis- 
tracted. Wesley  says :  "  I  perceived  there  was  no 
remedy  but  prayer,  so  a  few  of  us  wrestled  with 
God  for  above  two  hours."  Then  at  last  anger  gave 
place  to  love,  and  the  quarrelsome  ladies  fell  upon 
each  other's  neck. 

At  Tullamore  he  rebuked  the  society  for  their 
lukewarmness  and  covetousness,  and  had  the  pleas- 
ure of  seeing  them  evince  signs  of  penitence.  At 
Anghrim  he  preached  "  to  a  well-meaning,  sleepy 
people,"  and  "strove  to  shake  some  of  them  out  of 


132  Life  of  John  Wesley. 


sleep  by  preaching  as  sharply  as  he  could."  At 
Limerick  he  told  "  the  society  freely  and  plainly  of 
their  faults."  His  preachers,  too,  gave  him  trouble. 
He  writes  to  Edward  and  Charles  Perronet:  "I 
have  abundance  of  complaint  to  make  as  well  as 
to  hear.  I  have  scarce  any  one  on  whom  I  can  de- 
pend when  I  am  a  hundred  miles  off!  'Tis  well  if 
I  do  not  run  away  soon,  and  leave  them  to  cut  aud 
shuffle  for  themselves.  Here  [in  Ireland]  is  a  glo- 
rious people;  but  O  where  are  the  shepherds?  The 
society  at  Cork  have  fairly  sent  me  word  that  they 
will  take  care  of  themselves,  and  erect  themselves 
into  a  dissenting  congregation.  I  am  weary  of 
these  sons  of  Zeruiah ;  they  are  too  hard  for  me." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Controversies — Wesley's  Marriage — "Sifting"  the  Preach- 
ers— Calvinism — Scotland — Very  111 — An  Invalid's  Rest. 

THE  period  immediately  succeeding  1750  was 
one  fraught  with  great  anxiety  to  Wesley. 
Grave  errors  appeared  among  the  London  Mora- 
vians— both  of  doctrine  and  practice — and  began 
to  infest  the  Methodists  also ;  and  he  found  it  nec- 
essary to  attack  them.  Much  ill  feeling  was  en- 
gendered, and  the  controversy  continued  through 
years  following.  Another  extremely  bitter  contro- 
versy was  between  the  Wesleys  and  Whitefield  on 
one  side,  and  the  Bishop  of  Lavington  on  the  other. 
The  latter  had  attacked  the  Methodists  first  in  1749 
in  a  scurrilous  publication,  entitled  "  Enthusiasm  of 
the  Papists  and  Methodists  Compared."  Wesley 
replied  severely.  The  bishop  rejoined  in  a  second 
part  of  the  same  pamphlet.  Wesley  answered  still 
more  severely;  and  so  it  continued  till  Lavington 
was  forced  to  be  silent. 

A  greater  source  of  trouble  was  his  marriage 
to  Mrs.  Vazeille,  February,  1751.  Having  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  "in  my  present  circumstances 
I  might  be  more  use&l  in  a  married  state,"  he  speed- 
ily consummated  his  design.  Unfortunately,  he 
could  scarcely  have  hit  upon  a   more  unsuitable 

(133) 


134  ii/e  0/  John  Wesley. 


woman.  Of  a  bitter  and  angry  spirit — indeed,  al- 
most if  not  quite  insane — she  became  the  torment 
of  his  life.  A  number  of  times  she  left  him,  and 
again  returned.  She  defamed  him  in  private,  and 
seized  his  letters  and  put  them  in  the  hands  of  those 
she  knew  were  his  enemies,  interpolating  so  as  to 
make  them  bear  a  bad  construction.  In  one  or  two 
instances  she  published  them.  At  times  she  was 
outrageously  violent  toward  him,  and  there  was  al- 
ways little  else  in  their  intercourse  than  constant 
connubial  storms. 

Wesley  was  almost  worn  away.  February,  1756, 
he  writes:  "Your  last  letter  was  seasonable  indeed. 
The  being  continually  watched  over  for  evil ;  the 
having  every  word  I  spoke,  every  action  I  did — 
small  and  great — watched  with  no  fi-iendly  eye;  the 
hearing  a  thousand  little  tart,  unkind  reflections  in 
return  for  the  kindest  words  I  could  devise, 

'Like  drops  of  eating  water  on  the  marble, 
At  length  have  worn  my  sinking  sjairits  down.' 

Yet  I  could  not  say  '  Take  thy  plague  away  from 
me,'  but  only  '  Let  me  be  purified,  not  consumed.' " 
Wesley  patiently  endeavored  to  win  her  to  a  better 
mind,  but  all  was  in  vain.  His  domestic  wretched- 
ness was  protracted  through  thirty  years,  until  she 
died  October  8,  1781. 

It  is  no  mean  proof  of  the  greatness  of  Wesley's 
character  that  during  all  the  years  of  this  ministry 
his  public  career  never  wavered  nor   appeared  to 


The  Calvinian  Controversy.  135 

lose  one  jot  of  its  amazing  energy.  It  was  well 
that  it  was  so,  for  difficulties  thickened  on  every 
side.  One  source  of  trouble  and  uneasiness  was  the 
conduct  of  many  of  his  preachers.  One  James 
Wheatley  had  to  be  expelled  for  gross  immorality. 
Some  were  accused  of  railing,  others  of  idleness, 
and  he  greatly  feared  there  was  a  wide-spread  de- 
cline of  zeal  and  labors  among  them.  He  deter- 
mined upon  a  sifting,  and  for  this  purjx)se  sent 
Charles  to  Leeds  to  hold  a  Conference,  directing 
him  to  prefer  grace  before  gifts,  and  to  deal  not  only 
with  disorderly  walkers,  but  also  with  triflers,  the 
effeminate,  and  busybodies.  Six  preachers  resigned 
their  work  that  year,  six  the  next  year,  and  twelve 
more  in  the  four  years  thereafter  out  of  sixty-eight 
in  all  employed.  \Yesley  wrote:  "It  is  far  better 
for  us  to  have  ten  or  six  preachers  who  are  alive  to 
God,  sound  in  the  faith,  and  of  one  heart  with  us 
and  with  one  another,  than  fifty  of  whom  we  have 
no  assurance." 

The  Calvinian  controversy  which  now  began  to 
rise  added  one  more  source  of  trouble.  In  1751 
three  of  the  preachers  at  the  first  Irish  Conference 
avowed  Calvinistic  opinions.  Othei-s,  it  was  ru- 
mored— and  among  them  Charles  Wesley — v^eva 
infected  also  with  the  same  views.  Under  such  cir- 
cumstances Wesley,  in  1752,  issued  his  "Predesti- 
nation Calndy  Considered,"  a  pamphlet  of  eighty- 
three  pages,  written  in  a   most  loving  spirit,  l)ut 


136  Life  of  John  Wedey. 

showing  conclusively  that  the  Calviuistic  doctrine 
of  election  necessarily  involved  the  corresponding 
and  abhorrent  doctrine  of  reprobation — plainly  op- 
posed to  the  Scriptures  and  dishonoring  to  God. 
His  pamphlet  utterly  demolished  the  Calvin ian  the- 
ory, and  to  it  no  Methodist  ventured  a  reply;  but 
a  Dr.  Gill,  a  learned  Baptist,  attempted  it  twice, 
but  he  was  no  match  for  Wesley  at  the  best,  and 
his  answer  was  not  even  worthy  of  himself.  A 
most  bitter  and  painful  controversy,  however,  en- 
sued, lasting  for  many  years,  and  dividing  the 
friends  of  Christ. 

Through  all  Wesley  continued  to  travel  and 
preach  through  three  kingdoms.  In  1751  for  the 
first  time  he  visited  Scotland,  and  succeeded  in 
planting  Methodism'  there,  though  it  has  never 
flourished  there  as  in  England.  Returning,  he 
pursued  his  itinerant  labors  through  England  and 
Ireland  during  the  rest  of  that  year  and  all  of  the 
following  year.  In  1751  he  held  the  first  Irish 
Conference  at  Limerick.  A  general  decay  of  the 
societies  in  Ireland  Avas  reported,  occasioned  partly 
by  the  teaching  of  Antinomian  and  Calvinian  doc- 
trines, partly  by  the  want  of  discipline,  and  partly 
by  the  misbehavior  of  the  preachers.  Various 
measures  were  adopted  to  remedy  these  evils.  He 
staid  twelve  weeks  in  Ireland  and  then  Avent  to 
Bristol,  and  thence  to  London,  where  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  the  year. 


Serioudy  Indisposed.  137 

It  were  wearying  even  to  read  all  the  journeyings 
of  this  evangelist  of  Christ.  But  at  last  strength 
began  to  fail  under  his  many  heavy  burdens.  For 
months  during  1753  his  health  was  feeble,  until  on 
November  12,  preaching  at  Leigh,  in  Essex,  he 
caught  cold.  Two  days  after,  on  returning  to  Lon- 
don, he  "had  a  settled  pain  in  his  left  breast,  a 
violent  cough,  and  a  slow  fever."  His  physician 
ordered  him  at  once  to  remove  into  the  country  and 
to  rest,  which  he  did,  going  to  his  friend  Mr.  Black- 
well,  at  Lewisham.  The  news  of  his  illness  spread 
rapidly,  and  caused  general  alarm.  Charles  Wes- 
ley hurried  to  him,  and  though  he  was  then  con- 
siderably better,  thought  him  "still  in  imminent 
danger,  being  far  gone  and  very  suddenly  in  a 
consumption."  He  then  went  to  the  Foundry  and 
preached  on  the  power  of  prayer,  and  declared  it 
to  be  his  opinion  that  if  his  brother's  life  was  pro- 
longed it  would  only  be  by  the  prayer  of  faith. 
Whitefield  was  touched  with  the  deepest  sorrow, 
and,  forgetting  the  differences  between  them,  wrote : 

"Bev.  and  Very  Dear  Sir — If  seeing  you  so  weak 
when  leaving  London  distressed  me,  the  news  and 
prospect  of  your  approaching  dissolution  have  quite 
weighed  me  down.  I  pity  myself  and  the  Church, 
but  not  you.  A  radiant  throne  awaits  you,  and  ere- 
long you  will  enter  into  your  Master's  joy.  If  in 
the  land  of  the  dying,  I  hope  to  pay  my  last  respects 
to  you  next;  if  not,  reverend  and  very  dear  sir, 


138  lAJv  of  John  Wesley. 

F-a-r-e-w-e-1-1 !  Ptcb  sequar,  esti  non  passibus  cequis. 
My  heart  is  too  big,  tears  trickle  down  too  fast,  and 
you,  I  fear,  are  too  weak  for  me  to  enlarge.  Under- 
neath you  may  there  be  Christ's  everlasting  arms!" 
He  continued  to  improve,  however,  and  in  five 
weeks  was  able  to  remove  from  Lewishara.  Still  he 
was  an  invalid  for  the  first  six  months  of  1754. 
But  he  did  not  remain  idle.  He  began  the  new- 
year  at  the  Hotwells,  Bristol.  On  the  first  Sunday 
of  the  year  he  commenced  writing  his  "Notes  on 
the  New  Testament,"  "a  work,"  says  he,  "which  I 
would  scarce  ever  have  attempted  had  I  not  been 
so  ill  as  not  to  be  able  to  travel  or  preach,  and  yet 
so  well  as  to  be  able  to  read  and  write."  With  the 
exception  of  the  time  prescribed  for  exercise  on 
horseback,  two  hours  for  meals,  and  one  for  private 
prayer,  he  spent  sixteen  hours  a  day  on  this  work. 
In  ten  weeks  his  rough  draft  of  the  translation  and 
tlie  notes  on  the  Gospels  were  completed.  He  then 
returned  to  London,  and  retiring  to  the  village  of 
Paddington,  he  spent  nearly  the  whole  of  the  next 
three  months  in  writing,  except  that  he  came  to 
town  every  Saturday  evening  to  take  part  in  the 
services  next  day.  He  preached  first  again  at  Bris- 
tol INIarch  26,  and  after  that  a  few  times' till  Whit- 
sunday, when  he  once  more  took  the  evening  serv- 
ice at  the  Foundry;  but  he  Avrites:  "I  have  not 
recovered  my  whole  voice  or  strength ;  perhaps  I 
never  may;  l)ut  let  me  use  what  I  have.'" 


Preaching  Again.  139 

He  now  began  to  travel  some,  and  in  the  last  of 
May  held  his  Annual  Conference.  In  the  summer, 
however,  he  again  became  very  unwell,  and  was 
again  ordered  to  repair  to  the  Hotwells,  Bristol, 
without  delay.  He  did  so;  but  in  three  weeks 
started  again,  September  5,  on  a  preaching  tour  to 
Taunton,  Tiverton,  and  other  places.  September 
10  he  got  back  to  Bristol,  "at  least  as  well  as  when 
he  left  it,"  having  preached  eight  times  in  as  many 
days,  besides  traveling,  visiting,  and  meetiug  his 
societies.  He  then  remained  at  Bi'istol  three  weeks 
longer  preaching  and  visiting,  till  on  attempting  to 
hold  a  watch-night  service  September  27,  at  eleven 
o'clock,  he  almost  lost  his  voice,  and  the  next  even- 
ing it  entirely  failed.  He  then  set  out  for  London, 
and  arrived  there  October  4,  where  he  seems  to 
have  remained  the  rest  of  the  year  in  great  feeble- 
ness. Nevertheless,  besides  the  work  already  no- 
ticed, he  published  during  this  year  "An  Extract 
of  his  Journal  from  November  25,  1746,  to  July 
20, 1749,"  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  pages;  "An 
Answer  to  Eev.  Dr.  Gill,"  and  eight  volumes  more 
of  his  "  Christian  Library,"  which  he  had  compiled 
from  the  writings  of  Leighton,  Barrow,  Charnock, 
Baxter,  and  others. 

At  the  commencement  of  1755  he  was  occupied, 
at  the  author's  request,  with  the  revision  of  Her- 
vey's  greatest  work,  "Theron  and  Aspasia."  On 
the  first  of  April  he  set  out  on  a  three  months' 


140  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

journey  to  the  North  of  England,  seemingly  with 
all  his  wonted  vigor,  preaching,  visiting,  and  over- 
seeing. Returning,  he  went  to  Norwich  and  thence 
to  Cornwall,  and  so  passed  the  rest  of  the  year  la- 
boring as  usual. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Separation — Sanctified  Fanaticism— The  Poor  Actor — The 
Use  of  Money — Berridge  —  Shirley  —  "  Softness  "  —  Per- 
sonal Appearance. 

A  MOVEMENT  now  arose  to  separate  from 
the  Church  of  England  and  establish  Meth- 
odism as  a  distinct  Church.  For  years  there  had 
been  much  dissatisfaction  among  the  societies.  The 
Methodist  preachers  were  generally  not  ordained, 
and  therefore  unable  to  administer  the  sacraments 
to  their  people,  while  in  many  cases  they  were 
rudely  repelled  from  the  communion  in  the  churches 
of  the  Establishment,  and  refused  the  sacraments. 
Again,  the  Established  Church  was  very  corrupt, 
the  ministers  ignorant  in  spiritual  things,  irreligious 
in  life,  and  often  immoral.  Many  of  the  most  pious 
and  influential  of  Wesley's  preachers  longed  for 
some  other  arrangement  to  meet  the  pressing  de- 
mands of  the  people.  On  the  other  hand,  Charles 
Wetsley,  who  was  an  ardent  Churchman,  with  some 
few  others,  strongly  opposed  all  innovation.  A 
long  and  severe  contest  ensued.  From  1755  to 
1761  each  year  the  matter  was  discussed  at  length 
in  the  Conferences,  while  numerous  letters  and 
pamphlets  were  published  on  the  subject,  pro  and 
con.     At  the  Conference  of  1755  the  preachers, 

(141^ 


H2  Life  of  John  Wesley. 


"in  seven  or  eight  long  conversations,"  gave  their 
reasons  for  its  expediency.  Wesley  said:  "I  will 
freely  acknowledge  that  I  cannot  answer  these  ar- 
guments to  my  own  satisfaction,  so  that  my  con- 
clusion, which  I  cannot  yet  give  up,  'that  it  is  law- 
ful to  continue  in  the  Church,'  stands  almost  with- 
out any  premises  that  are  able  to  bear  its  w^eight." 
The  objection  was  justly  urged  that  lay  preaching, 
being  clearly  inconsistent  with  the  discipline  of  the 
Church  of  England,  was  already  a  partial  separa- 
tion. In  reference  to  this  ^Yesley  says:  "  We  have 
not  taken  one  step  farther  than  we  were  convinced 
was  our  bounden  duty.  It  is  from  a  full  convic- 
tion of  this  that  we  have  (1)  preached  abroad;  (2) 
prayed  extempore;  (3)  formed  societies;  and  (4) 
permitted  preachers  who  were  not  episcopally  or- 
dained. And  were  we  pushed  on  this  side,  were 
there  no  alternative  allowed,  we  should  judge  it 
our  bounden  duty  rather  wholly  to  separate  from 
the  Church  than  to  give  up  any  one  of  these  points. 
Therefore  if  we  cannot  stop  a  separation  without 
stopping  lay  preachers,  the  case  is  clear :  we  cannot 
stop  it  at  all."  Still  he  would  not  consent.  He 
did  not  question  the  right  to  do  so  under  the  Script- 
ures. He  declared  his  total  dissent  from  the  doc- 
trine of  apostolical  succession,  and  said  in  reference 
to  even  an  episcopal  form  of  Church-government: 
"  That  it  is  prescribed  in  Scripture  I  do  not  believe. 
This  opinion,  which   I  once  zealously  espoused,  I 


Against  Separation.  143 

have  been  heartily  ashamed  of  ever  since  I  read 
Bishop  Stillingfieet's  'Irenicon.'  I  think  he  has 
unanswerably  proved  that  neither  Christ  nor  his 
apostles  prescribe  any  particular  form  of  Church- 
government,  and  that  the  plea  of  divine  right  for 
diocesan  ej^iscopacy  was  never  heard  of  in  the 
primitive  Church."  He  also  maintains  the  supe- 
riority of  the  Methodist  order  of  services  over  that 
of  the  Church  of  England.  He  says:  "The  longer 
I  am  absent  from  London,  and  the  more  I  attend 
the  service  of  the  Church  in  other  places,  the  more 
I  am  convinced  of  the  unspeakable  advantage  which 
the  Methodists  enjoy.  I  mean  even  with  regard  to 
public  worship,  particularly  on  the  Lord's-day." 
He  then  goes  on  to  compare  at  length  the  services 
of  the  Methodists  with  those  of  the  Church  of 
England,  to  show  the  great  superiority  of  the  for- 
mer, and  therefore  why  they  could  never  be  given 
up.  But  he  ai'gues  against  formal  separation  on 
the  ground  of  expediency,  alleging  principally  that 
it  would  prejudice  the  cause  of  the  Methodists  with 
many  who  otherwise  would  be  their  friends,  cause 
many  to  leave  the  societies,  and  engage  him  in  a 
thousand  controversies,  so  as  to  almost  entirely  di- 
vert him  from  useful  labors.  On  these  grounds  he 
decided  to  remain. 

Commotion  now  arose  in  another  quarter.  In 
1762  great  extravagances  began  in  the  London 
Society.     Maxfield  and  Bell,  two  of  the  preachers. 


144  Ldfe  of  John  Wesley. 

with  many  of  the  members,  began  to  utter  the  wild- 
est opinions,  and  to  make  the  most  fanatical  claims. 
Wesley,  with  Charles,  went  to  see  them  about  it, 
and  afterward  wrote  them  what  he  disliked  in 
them — i.  e.,  "  their  supposing  man  may  be  as  per- 
fect as  an  angel ;  that  he  can  be  absolutely  perfect ; 
that  he  can  be  infallible,  or  above  being  tempted; 
or  that  the  moment  he  is  pure  in  heart  he  cannot 
fall  from  it."  Also  "  their  depreciation  of  justifi- 
cation," and  their  doctrines  that  a  sanctified  person 
needs  no  self-examination,  no  private  prayer;  and 
that  he  cannot  be  taught  by  any  one  who  is  not  in 
the  same  state  as  himself. 

But  it  was  too  late.  Bell  and  Maxfield  both 
went  off  and  took  some  two  hundred  of  the  society 
with  them.  On  the  other  hand,  Charles  Wesley 
was  led  by  these  excesses  to  considerably  modify  his 
views  of  the  doctrine  of  sanctification,  and  consider 
it  not  the  product  of  simple  faith  only,  but  also  "  of 
severe  discipline,  comprehending  afiliction,  tempta- 
tion, long-continued  labor,"  etc.  Many  of  his  former 
co-workers — among  them  Madan,  Berridge,  Ro- 
maine,  and  even  Whitefield  —  openly  contended 
against  Wesley.  Wesley  was  most  uneasy,  but 
Fletcher  came  to  his  aid,  and  he  was  enabled  to  stand 
fast  against  his  opposers  on  the  right-hand  and  on 
the  left,  rescue  the  societies  at  last,  and  under  God 
to  establish  the  genuine  doctrine  of  Christian  per- 
fection as  the  accepted  teaching  of  Methodism. 


The  Indigent  Actor.  145 

All  tliis  time  the  Calviniau  controversy  contin- 
ued with  more  or  less  vigoi\  Socinianism,  too,  up- 
reared  itself  before  him,  and  Wesley  was  obliged 
to  write  an  octavo  volume  of  five  hundred  and 
twenty-two  pages  in  answer  to  Dr.  Taylor,  the  most 
eminent  Socinian  minister  of  his  age.  Wesley's 
book  was  a  most  triumphant  refutation  of  the 
heresy,  it  being  the  ablest  work  on  the  subject 
in  the  English  language.  He  still  had  to  defend 
himself  from  attacks  through  the  press.  He  was 
unremitting  in  his  benevolent  labors  for  the  poor 
and  suffering  in  every  place.  An  incident  that 
happened  in  Ireland  illustrates  the  genuineness  of 
his  philanthropy.  In  a  public  house  were  a  num- 
ber of  loungers,  and  among  the  rest  a  starving  act- 
or in  a  motley  dress  that  had  se^n  better  dap,  re- 
clined on  a  wooden  bench  in  the  corner.  The 
landlady,  a  true  termagant,  furiously  bawled  out 
to  the  poor  player:  "Turn  out,  you  pitiable  raga- 
muffin I — plenty  of  promises,  but  no  money;  either 
pay  your  way,  or  you  and  your  doll  of  a  wife  turn 
out."  Just  then  Wesley  entered,  and  instantly  the 
landlady  became  as  mild  as  a  May  day.  "Dear 
sir,"  says  she,  "I  am  glad  you're  come;  this  man, 
sir,  is  a  very  bad  man,  sir ;  as  you  said  in  your  ser- 
mon yesterday,  'He  that  oppresseth  the  poor  is  a 
bad  man,'  sir."  "What  has  he  done?"  asks  Wes- 
ley. "  Why,  sir,  I  have  kept  him  and  his  wife  for 
a  fortnight,  and  have  never  seen  the  color  of  his 
10 


146  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

moucy.  Three  crowns  is  my  due,  and  I  '11  have  it 
if  law  can  get  it."  "Who  is  this  gentleman?" 
"Who  is  he?  Why,  he  is  one  of  those  you  preach 
against — one  of  your  player  men.  I  wish  you  could 
preach  them  out  of  town.  Why,  sir,  they  are  all 
starving.  I  do  n't  think  this  man  has  got  a  good 
meal  for  a  fortnight,  except  what  I  have  given  him, 
and  now  you  see  his  gratitude."  Wesley  approached 
the  poor,  dejected  actor  and  said:  "You  serve  the 
stage,  young  man ;  would  I  could  teach  you  to  serve 
your  God,  you  would  find  him  a  better  master. 
Pardon  me,  I  mean  not  to  upbraid  you,  or  to  hurt 
your  feelings.  My  Master  sent  you  this,"  putting 
into  his  hand  a  guinea;  "retire  and  thank  him." 
"Who  is  your  master?"  cried  the  actor;  "whero 
and  how  shall  I  thank  him  ?  "  "  God  is  my  Master ; 
return  him  thanks."  "How?"  "On  your  knees 
when  in  private;  in  public  at  all  times;  in  your 
principles  and  practice.  Farewell;  go,  comfort 
your  wife  and  children."  The  poor  fellow  was 
dumbfounded,  and  sobbing  the  thanks  he  could  not 
speak,  he  left  the  room.  "Three  crowns  is  your  de- 
mand on  our  afflicted  brother?"  said  Wesley  to  the 
landlady.  "Yes,  sir;  fifteen  shillings."  "I  will 
pay  you,"  said  Wesley;  "but  what  can  you  think 
of  yourself?  How  terrible  will  be  your  condition 
on  your  death-bed,  calling  for  that  mercy  which 
you  refuse  to  a  fellov. -creature !  I  shudder  whilst 
under  your  roof,  and  leave  it  as  I  would  the  pesti- 


GocVs  Steward  for  ihe  Poor.  147 

lence.  May  the  Lord  pardon  your  sius."  With 
this  he  put  fifteen  shillings  on  the  table,  and  made 
his  exit.  "Pardon  my  sins!"  quoth  the  irate  vira- 
go, "pardon  my  sins,  indeed!  And  why  not  his 
own?  I'll  warrant  he  has  as  much  to  answer  for 
as  I  have ;  getting  a  parcel  of  people  together  that 
ought  to  be  minding  their  Avork.  Why,  it  was  only 
yesterday  that  he  was  preaching  everybody  to  the 
devil  that  encouraged  the  players." 

Money  never  staid  with  John  Wesley  long.  In 
1766,  when  he  was  sixty-three  years  old,  by  the 
will  of  a  Miss  Lewin  he  received  £1,000.  He  said, 
"  I  am  God's  steward  for  the  poor,"  and  he  gave  it 
all  away  in  less  than  two  years.  His  sentiments 
on  the  subject  of  giving  are  embodied  in  a  pastoral 
address  issued  about  1764.  He  says :  "  If  you  are 
not  in  pressing  want  give  something,  and  you  Avill 
be  no  poorer  for  it.  Grudge  not,  fear  not;  lend 
unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  surely  repay.  If  you 
earn  but  three  shillings  a  Aveek  and  give  a  penny 
out  of  it,  you  will  never  want.  But  I  do  not  say 
this  to  you  Avho  have  ten  or  fifteen  shillings  a  Aveek 
and  give  only  a  penny.  To  see  this  has  often 
grieved  my  spirit.  I  have  been  ashamed  for  you, 
if  you  have  not  been  ashamed  for  yourself.  O  be 
ashamed  before  God  and  man !  Be  not  straitened 
in  your  own  boAvels,  Give  in  proportion  to  your 
substance.  You  can  better  afibrd  a  shilling  than 
he  a  penny.     Open  your  eyes,  your  heart,  youi 


148  Life  of  John  Wesley. 


liajid."  His  three  well-known  rules  for  a  Chris- 
tian in  his  conduct  in  relation  to  money  are  elab- 
orated at  length  in  his  sermon  on  the  "Use  of 
Money,"  published  about  this  time,  viz. :  (1)  "  Gain 
all  you  can ;  (2)  save  all  you  can ;  (3)  give  all  you 
can." 

Difficulties  and  oppositions  still  beset  him.  At 
Grampound,  "  a  mean,  inconsiderable  village,"  the 
mayor  sent  two  constables  to  prohibit  him  from 
preaching.  Wesley  answered :  "  The  mayor  has  no 
authority  to  hinder,  but  it  is  a  point  not  worth  con- 
testing ;  so,"  he  adds,  "  I  went  about  a  muskot-shot 
farther  and  left  the  borough  to  Mr.  Mayor's  dis- 
posal." At  Stallbridge  he  had  to  apj^ly  to  the 
courts  for  protection.  At  Plymouth  a  large  stone 
was  thrown  in  at  the  window  at  the  close  of  the 
sermon,  and  fell  at  his  feet.  At  Swadlingbar,  in 
Wales,  as  soon  as  he  began  preaching,  a  papist 
commenced  "blowing  a  horn,"  but  "a  gentleman 
stepped  up,  snatched  his  horn  away,  and,  without 
ceremony,  knocked  him  down."  At  York  he  met 
with  a  ludicrous  adventure:  the  rector  there,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Cordeaux,  on  previous  occasions  had 
warned  his  congregation  against  hearing  "that  vag- 
abond Wesley  preach."  Wesley,  after  preaching 
in  his  own  chapel,  now  went  in  his  canonicals  to 
Mr.  Cordeaux's  church.  The  latter  saw  that  he 
was  a  clergyman,  and  without  knowing  who  he  was 
offered  him  his  church  to  preach.     Wesley  accepted, 


Still  Furiously  Opj)osed.  149 

and  preached.  After  service  Cordeaux  asked  his 
clerk  if  he  knew  who  the  stranger  was.  "Sir,  he  is 
the  vagabond  Wesley,"  replied  the  clerk,  "against 
whom  you  warned  us."  "Ay,  indeed,"  said  the 
astonished  rector,  "  we  are  trapped ;  but  never  mind, 
we  have  had  a  good  sermon." 

Sometimes  his  congregations  were  unappreciative 
and  stupid.  At  Liverpool  the  congregations  were 
exceeding  large,  but  many  of  the  people  "seemed 
to  be  like  wild  asses'  colts."  At  Berwick  he 
preached  to  "  a  drowsy  congregation."  At  Kings- 
wood  he  says:  "Scarce  thirty  of  them  think  it 
worth  while  to  hear  the  word  of  God  on  a  week- 
day— not  even  when  I  preach."  At  North  Scarle 
he  had  a  great  multitude  to  hear  him,  but  though 
he  "spoke  as  plainly  as  he  could  on  the  first  prin- 
ciples of  religion,  many  seemed  to  understand  him 
no  more  than  if  he  was  talking  Greek." 

On  the  other  hand,  there  was  much  to  encourage 
him.  The  work  still  increased.  He  had  a  noble 
corps  of  preachers,  and  others  joined  him.  There 
was  Berridge,  vicar  of  Everton,  in  learning  inferior 
to  very  few  of  the  most  celebrated  men  of  Cam- 
bridge, where  he  had  taken  his  degree,  who  for 
twenty  years  traveled  his  circuit,  embracing  five 
counties,  and  preached  on  an  average  from  ten  to 
twelve  sermons  every  Aveek.  Magistrates  and 
squires  and  others  furiously  opposed  him.  The 
"old  devil"  was  the  name  by  which  he  was  distin- 


]  50  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

guished  among  them.  But  he  steadily  pursued  his 
work,  renting  houses  and  barns  for  preaching,  and 
lay  preachers  employed  and  maintained,  his  Church 
income  and  the  fortune  inherited  from  "his  father 
being  approj)riated  to  the  work,  until  even  his  fam- 
ily plate  was  converted  into  clothing  for  his  itiner- 
ant preachers.  Thousands  were  converted  and 
brought  into  the  Church  under  his  ministry. 

Capt.  AYebb  has  already  been  mentioned.  The 
Rev.  Walter  Shirley,  first  cousin  to  the  Counte^ss 
of  Huntingdon,  who  held  a  Church-living  in  Ire- 
land, was  another  i30werfi.il  ally.  Cope,  Bishop  of 
Clonfert,  threatened  him.  "Menaces,  my  lord." 
said  Shirley,  "between  gentlemen  are  illiberal ;  but 
Avhen  they  cannot  be  put  into  execution,  they  are 
contemj)tible."  The  Archbishop  of  Tuam,  on  the 
other  hand,  treated  the  charges  brought  against 
him  with  contemjot.  Once  the  curate  of  Loughrea 
came  to  him  with  a  very  important  air:  "O  your 
grace!"  exclaimed  he,  "I  have  such  a  cii'cumstance 
to  relate  to  you ;  one  that  will  astonish  you."  "  In- 
deed," replied  he,  "what  can  it  be?"  "Why,  my 
lord,"  said  the  curate  solemnly,  "  Mr.  Shirley  wears 
white  stockings."  "Very  anti-clerical  and  very 
dreadful,"  responded  the  archbishop.  "Does  Mr. 
Shirley  wear  them  over  his  boots?"  "No,  your 
grace."  "  Well,  sir,"  said  the  prelate, "  the  first  time 
you  find  him  with  his  stockings  over  his  boots,  pray 
inform  me,  and  I  shall  deal  with  Iiim  accordinglv." 


All  Enemy  to  "Softness."  151 

Thomas  Walsh,  too,  must  not  be  forgotten.  "  The 
best  Hebrean,"  says  Wesley,  "  I  ever  knew.  I  nev- 
er asked  him  the  meaning  of  a  Hebrew  word  but 
he  would  tell  me  how  often  it  occurred  in  the  Bi- 
ble, and  what  it  meant  in  each  place." 

But  the  greatest  of  all  was  John  Fletcher,  a 
name  ever  memorable  not  only  in  Methodist  an- 
nals, but  in  the  history  of  the  general  Church  of 
Christ.  He  joined  the  Methodists  in  1755,  and 
truly  continued  a  bright  and  shining  light  till  his 
death  in  1785.  His  labors  cannot  here  be  related. 
Suffice  it  that  he  appeared  at  a  time  when  Wesley 
greatly  needed  such  a  man,  and  that  through  years 
following  he  continued  to  refresh  the  oft-tried  heart 
and  help  the  weaiy  hand  of  his  veteran  chieftain. 

Wesley  could  not  endure  "softness."  When  fifty- 
five  years  old  he  traveled  in  one  day  ninety  miles 
DU  horseback  and  by  post-chaise  over  miserable 
rtjads  to  meet  his  appointment  to  preach  the  follow- 
ing morning.  Seven  years  later  he  made  a  tour 
Uirough  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland  that  lasted 
thii'ty-two  weeks,  everywhere  preaching  and  visit- 
ing. On  one  occasion  a  servant,  on  entering  his 
room,  found  his  coachman  rolling  himself  up  and 
down  the  feather-bed  most  vigorously,  because,  as 
he  said,  Wesley  would  not  sleep  in  it  until  it  was 
made  as  hard  as  possible. 

He  maintained  a  constant  warfare  against  world- 
liness.     He  exhorts  against  anv  thina:  beina:  aimed 


152  Life  of  John  Wedey. 

at  in  dress  except  neatness  and  plainness,  and  says: 
"  It  is  true  these  are  little,  very  little  things,  there- 
fore give  them  up,  let  them  drop ;  throw  them  away 
without  another  word."  He  says  of  theaters  that 
they  "sap  the  foundation  of  all  religion,  as  they 
naturally  tend  to  eiface  all  traces  of  piety  and  se- 
riousness out  of  the  minds  of  men;"  and  he  ad- 
dressed a  letter  to  the  mayor  and  corporation  of 
Bristol  against  permission  being  granted  to  build  a 
new  theater  there.  Yet  he  was  no  fanatic.  The 
day  after  Conference  closed  at  Bristol  he  attended 
a  performance  of  Handel's  "Messiah"  in  the  cathe- 
dral, and  afterward  when  in  London  spent  part  of 
an  afternoon  in  the  British  Museum,  then  lately 
opened. 

A  spectator  describes  him  at  this  period  as  travel- 
ling in  an  old,  lumbering  carriage  with  a  book-case 
inside  of  it,  and  dressed  in  a  cassock,  with  black  silk 
stockings  and  large  silver  buckles.  Horace  Wal- 
])ole  heard  him  preach  in  1766,  and  writes:  "Wes- 
ley is  a  clean,  elderly  man,  fresh-colored,  his  hair 
smoothly  combed,  but  with  a  little  soupcon  of  curls 
at  the  ends.  Wondrous  clever,  but  as  evidently  an 
actor  as  Garrick.  He  spoke  his  sermon,  but  so 
fast,  and  with  so  little  accent,  that  I  am  sure  he 
has  often  uttered  it,  for  it  was  like  a  lesson.  There 
were  parts  and  eloquence  in  it,  but  toward  the  end 
he  acted  very  ugly  enthusiasm,  decried  learning, 
and  told  stories." 


Crippled  by  a  Fall.  158 

Toward  the  end  of  1765  he  met  with  a  severe  ac- 
cident by  the  fall  of  his  horse,  by  which  he  Avas 
much  bruised  and  made  to  suffer  seriously  for  many 
months.  As  late  as  May,  1766,  he  writes:  "I 
know  not  to  what  it  is  owing  that  I  have  felt  more 
weariness  this  spring  than  I  had  done  for  many 
years,  unless  to  my  fall  at  Christmas,  which  per- 
haps weakened  the  springs  of  my  whole  machine 
more  than  I  was  sensible  of."  He  also  complains 
of  feeling  much  pain,  but  adds:  "But,  blessed  be 
God,  I  have  strength  sufficient  for  the  work  to 
which  I  am  called.  When  I  cannot  walk  any  far- 
ther I  can  take  a  horse,  and  now  and  then  a  chaise, 
so  that  hitherto  I  have  not  been  hindered  from  vis- 
iting any  place  which  I  proposed  to  see  before  1 
left  London." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Chapel  Debts — Finances — Eules  of  Discipline— Profitable 
Conversation — Eules  for  a  Revival — First  College  Ap- 
pointments— Whitefield's  Death — Happy  Experiences — 
Wesley  Sick— The  Work  of  a  Methodist  Preacher — A 
None-such — The  Sin  of  Screaming. 

IN  1767  the  first  Methodist  missionary  collection 
was  taken  up  by  Wesley  at  Newcastle  for  tlie 
American  Indians.  In  the  same  year  a  connec- 
tional  effort  was  made  to  pay  off  the  debts  upon 
the  chapels  throughout  the  kingdom.  These  debts 
amounted  to  eleven  thousand  three  hundred  and 
eighty-three  jiouuds,  and  at  that  day  was  a  burden 
heavy  to  be  borne.  A  circular  was  issued  and  sub- 
scriptions taken  up  in  all  the  societies  to  raise 
twelve  thousand  pounds.  In  two  years  eight  thou- 
sand seven  hundred  pounds  was  raised,  and  much 
relief  afforded;  but  chapel  debts  still  existed,  and 
were  for  years  afterward  one  of  Wesley's  sor- 
rows. 

Some  further  details  as  to  the  state  of  Method- 
ism at  this  period — twenty-eight  years  after  its  ori- 
gin— are  interesting.  Forty-one  circuits  had  been 
formed,  one  hundred  and  four  itinerants  employed, 
and  twenty-five  thousand  nine  hundred  and  eleveii 
(154) 


Finances — Discipline.  155 

members  of  society  gathered.  Six  of  the  circuits 
were  in  Yorkshire,  and  one-fourth  of  the  members. 
One  fact  worthy  of  notice  at  the  Conference  of  this 
year — 1767 — was  the  presence  of  "  many  stewards 
and  local  preachers,"  besides  the  itinerants,  show- 
ing that  Wesley  had  wisely  availed  himself  of  the 
counsels  of  the  laity.  Salaries  were  small.  In 
1768  three  married  Methodist  ministers  and  an  un- 
married one  cost  the  Barnard  Castle  Circuit  about 
£109  8s.  a  year,  or  about  ten  shillings  and  sixpence 
per  minister  per  week.  From  the  minutes  of  the 
Conference  of  1765  we  learn  that  £100  9s.  7d.  was 
raised  that  year  for  Kingswood  school.  The  yearly 
subscription  in  the  classes  was  £707  18s. ;  of  which 
£578  was  devoted  to  the  payment  of  chapel  debts, 
£38  17s.  in  defraying  chapel  expenses,  and  the  re- 
maining £91  Is.  divided  among  the  preachers  who 
were  in  want. 

At  the  same  Conference  rules  Avere  adopted  for 
the  management  of  the  fund  for  the  support  of  su- 
perannuated preachers,  their  widows  and  children. 
Various  other  regulations  werfe  adopted  to  promote 
the  work.  In  all  future  buildings  there  were  to  be 
sash-windows  opening  downward,  but  no  "tub-]iul- 
pits."  Men  and  women  were  to  sit  apart  everywhere. 
Outdoor  preaching  had  often  been  omitted  to  please 
societies  and  stewards,  but  this  Avas  not  to  be  done 
again.  Some  of  the  preachers  were  not  "merciful 
to  their  beasts,"  and  it  was  directed  that  hard  rid 


156  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

ing  should  be  avoided,  and  that  every  one  should 
"see  with  his  own  eyes  his  horse  rubbed,  fed,  and 
bedded."  Societies  and  congregations  were  to  be 
taught  singing.  The  people  were  to  be  urged  to  be 
good  economists.  Members  might  "  tenderly  and 
prudently  call  each  other  brother  and  sister;  but  as 
a  rule  they  talked  too  much  and  read  too  little,  and 
ought  to  amend  in  this."  Many  of  them  were 
" absolutely  enslaved  to  snuff;"  some  drank  drams. 
The  preachers  were  enjoined  on  no  account  to  in- 
dulge in  such  practices  themselves,  but  were  to 
speak  to  any  snuffing  during  sermon. 

Wesley  discussed  another  topic  at  this  Confer- 
ence, as  follows:  "God  thrust  me  and  my  brother 
out  utterly  against  our  will  to  raise  a  holy  people. 
Holiness  was  our  point — inward  and  outward  holi- 
ness. When  Satan  could  no  otherwise  prevent 
this,  he  threw  Calvinism  in  our  way,  and  then  An- 
tinomianism.  Then  many  Methodists  grew  rich, 
and  thereby  lovers  of  the  present  world.  Next 
they  married  unawakened  or  half-awakened  wives, 
and  conversed  with  tlieir  relations.  Thence  world- 
ly prudence,  maxims,  customs,  crept  back  upon  us, 
producing  more  and  more  conformity  to  the  world. 
Then  there  followed  gross  neglect  of  relative  duties, 
especially  education  of  children."  Wesley  adds: 
"This  is  not  cured  by  the  preachers.  Either  they 
have  not  light  or  not  weight  enough.  But  the 
want  of  these  may  be  in  some  measure  supplied  bv 


Profitable  Conversation.  157 

publicly  reading  the  sermons  [his  own  sermons] 
everywhere,  especially  the  fourth  volume,  which 
supplies  them  with  remedies  suited  to  the  dis- 
ease." 

In  a  letter  to  Fletcher  about  the  same  time,  he 
writes:  "Mr.  Eastbrook  told  me  yesterday  that 
you  are  sick  of  the  conversation  even  of  them  who 
profess  religion ;  that  you  find  it  quite  unprofitable 
if  not  hurtful  to  converse  with  them  three  or  four 
hours  together,  and  are  sometimes  almost  deter- 
mined to  shut  yourself  up  as  the  less  evil  of  the 
two.  I  do  not  wonder  at  it  at  all,  especially  con- 
sidering with  w'hom  you  have  chiefly  conversed  for 
some  time  past.  ...  I  Avill  go  a  step  farther;  I 
seldom  find  it  profitable  for  me  to  converse  with 
any  who  are  not  athirst  for  perfection,  and  who  are 
not  big  with  earnest  expectation  of  receiving  it 
every  moment.  Now  you  find  none  of  these  among 
those  we  are  speaking  of.  .  .  .  Again,  you  have  for 
some  time  conversed  a  good  deal  with  genteel  Meth- 
odists. Now  it  matters  not  a  straw  what  doctrine 
they  hear,  whether  they  frequent  the  Lock  or  West 
street.  They  are  almost  all  salt  which  has  lost  its 
savor,  if  ever  they  had  any.  They  are  thoroughly 
conformed  to  the  maxims,  the  fashions,  and  customs 
of  the  world.  But  were  these  or  those  of  ever  so 
excellent  a  spirit,  you  conversed  with  them  too 
long.  One  had  need  to  be  an  angel — not  a  man 
— ^to  converse  three  or  four  hours  at  once  to  any 


in8  Llfeof  J>!,u  Wcxinj. 

pui'iiose.  lu  tlie  latter  part  of  sucli  conversation 
we  shall  doubtless  lose  all  the  profit  we  had  gained 
before," 

The  total  increase  of  members  reported  at  the 
Conference  of  1768  was  four  hundred  and  thirty. 
Wesley  was  not  satisfied  with  this,  and  minute  di- 
rections how  to  promote  a  revival  appeared  in  the 
minutes  the  year  following. 

August  24,  1768,  the  first  Methodist  college  was 
instituted  at  Trevecca,  Wales,  by  the  Countess  of 
Huntingdon,  At  Oxford  persecution  of  the  Metli- 
odists  had  become  very  bitter,  and  a  number  of 
students  supposed  to  be  maintained  there  by  the 
Countess  had  been  expelled  for  holding  Methodist 
tenets.  In  five  months  afterward  she  opened  the 
new  college  at  one  of  her  country-seats,  and  thus 
Methodism  from  the  first  secured  the  immense  ad- 
vantage of  sanctified  learning  for  its  cause  and  for 
the  cause  of  Christ. 

A  plan  of  settlement  for  the  perpetuation  of 
Methodism  in  its  integrity  after  his  death  was  now 
anxiously  considered  by  Wesley.  At  length,  in 
1.769,  he  proposed  that  articles  of  agreement  should 
be  signed,  pledging  them  all  "  (1)  to  devote  them- 
selves entirely  to  G<jd ;  (2)  to  preach  the  old  Meth- 
odist doctrines,  and  no  other;  (3)  to  observe  and 
enforce  the  whole  Methodist  discipline  as  laid  down  in 
the  minutes."  The  matter  was  then  laid  over  for  the 
present  for  consideration ;  but  at  the  Conference  of 


Dissenting  from  Calvinism.  159 

1773  all  the  forty-seveu  preachers  present  signed  it. 
Meantime  Wesley  had  endeavored  to  get  Fletcher 
to  consent  to  become  his  successor,  but  in  vain. 
]\[r.  Fletcher  no  doubt  wisely  declined  to  undertake 
what  perhaps  no  person  could  possibly  have  accom- 
plished— the  wearing  of  John  Wesley's  mantle  and 
authority  without  having  borne  John  Wesley's  part 
in  first  organizing  the  work. 

Difficulty  in  stationing  the  preachers  seemed  to 
be  growing.  At  the  Conference  of  1770  he  writes 
to  Mr.  Merry  weather  at  Yarm : 

"3fy  Dear  Brother — I  have  the  credit  of  station- 
ing the  preachers;  but  many  of  them  go  where 
they  will  go,  for  all  me — for  instance,!  have  marked 
down  James  Oddie  and  John  Nelson  for  Yarm 
Circuit  the  ensuing  year;  yet  I  am  not  certain 
that  either  of  them  will  come.  They .  can  give 
twenty  reasons  for  going  elsewhere.  Mr.  Murlin 
says  he  must  be  in  London,  'T  is  certain  he  has  a 
mind  to  be  there.  Therefore,  so  it  must  be;  for 
you  know  a  man  of  fortune  is  master  of  his  own 
motions." 

The  Calvinian  controversy  began  to  be  very  bit- 
ter. The  Conference  of  1770,  alarmed  at  the  spread 
of  Antinomianism,  and  attributing  it  to  neglect  in 
themselves  in  counteracting  the  fatalistic  theories 
of  Geneva,  said,  "We  have  leaned  too  much  to- 
ward Calvinism,"  and  published  a  minute  defining 
the  points  wherein  they  dissented  from  it.     In  order 


160  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

to  preserve  peace,  Wesley  had  hitherto  gone  too  far 
in  suppressing,  if  not  in  some  respects  surrendering, 
the  Arminian  doctrine.  Hence  the  minute.  Great 
offense  was  given  at  once  to  all  the  Calvinistic  Meth- 
odists. The  Countess  of  Huntingdon  declared  that 
whoever  did  not  wholly  disavow  these  opinions 
should  leave  her  college;  and  the  matter  did  result 
in  both  Fletcher  and  Benson  quitting  Trevecca.  A 
host  of  writers  sprung  into  the  arena,  and  thence- 
forward for  full  seven  years  the  controversy  raged. 
Two  on  the  Calvinistic  side,  and  both  young  men, 
were  furiously  violent  against  Wesley,  and  spared 
no  pains  to  cast  obloquy  upon  him.  Others  were 
more  calm.  On  the  Arminian  side  the  principal 
writer  was  John  Fletcher,  though  Wesley  himself 
also  wrote  much  and  strongly.  But  Fletcher's 
Checks  will  ever  remain  a  classic  and  incontrovert- 
ible discussion  of  the  subject,  at  once  written  in  the 
chastest  literary  taste  and  breathing  the  most  lovely 
Christian  spirit.  To  enter  into  the  details  of  the 
controversy  w^ould  manifestly  be  out  of  place  here. 
Suffice  it  that  Calvinism  has  never  since  even  nom- 
inally held  much  place  in  Methodism,  and  practi- 
cally it  has  become  almost  obsolete  everywhere  in 
English-speaking  countries. 

Soon  after  Conference,  Whitefield  died — while  on 
one  of  his  evangelistic  journeys — at  Newburyport, 
in  New  England,  September  30,  1770.  On  the 
day  before  he  had  jireached  in  the  open   air  for 


Death  of  Wiitefield.  161 

nearly  two  hours.  A  friend  said  to  him  just  before 
he  commenced:  "  Sir,  you  are  more  fit  to  go  to  bed 
than  to  jareach."  "  True,"  replied  the  dying  man  ; 
and  then  turning  aside  he  clasped  his  hands,  and 
looking  up,  said :  "  Lord  Jesus,  I  am  weary  in  thy 
work  but  not  of  thy  work."  Next  morning  at  six 
o'clock  he  was  dead.  He  was  buried  where  he  died, 
with  every  mark  of  respect.  Wesley,  in  accord- 
ance with  a  long-standing  agreement  between  them, 
and  on  invitation  of  the  congregation,  preached 
the  funeral- sermon  in  Whitefield's  Tottenham  Court 
Chapel,  November  18,  to  an  immense  multitude  from 
the  text,  "Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous, 
and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his."  "  It  was,"  says 
Wesley,  "an  awful  season;  all  were  as  still  as 
night."  In  the  afternoon  he  preached  again  in 
Whitefield's  Tabernacle,  in  Moorfields.  The  hour 
appointed  was  half-past  five;  but  the  place  was 
filled  at  three,  and  Wesley  began  at  four.  White- 
field,  he  said,  had  "  unparalleled  zeal,  indefatigable 
activity,  tender-heartedness  to  the  afflicted  and  char- 
itableness to  the  poor,  the  most  generous  friend- 
ship, nice  and  unblemished  modesty,  frankness  and 
openness  of  conversation,  unflinching  courage  and 
steadiness  in  whatever  he  undertook  for  his  Mas- 
ter's sake." 

The  loss  of  such  a  friend  and  brother  was  a  griev- 
ous affliction.     But  his  comfort  was  in  God  and  in 
the  glorious  work.     Many  seasons  of  refreshing  con 
11 


162  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

tinually  occurred,  and  are  gratefully  recorded  in 
his  journal: 

"  Easter-day,  April  7. — After  preaching  I  went 
to  the  new  church,  and  found  an  uncommon  bless- 
ing at  a  time  when  I  least  of  all  expected  it — namely, 
while  the  organist  was  playing  a  voluntary!  We 
had  a  happy  hour  in  the  evening,  niauy  hearts  be- 
ing melted  down  in  one  flame  of  holy  love. 

"Thursday,  11. — The  barber  who  shaved  me 
said:  'Sir,  I  praise  God  on  your  behalf.  When 
you  were  at  Bolton  last  I  was  one  of  the  most  emi- 
nent drunkards  in  all  the  town ;  but  I  came  to  listen 
at  the  window  and  God  struck  me  to  the  heart.^  1 
then  earnestly  prayed  for  power  against  drinking, 
and  God  gave  lue  more  than  I  asked ;  he  took  away 
the  very  desire  of  it.  Yet  I  felt  myself  worse  and 
worse,  till  on  the  5th  of  April  last  I  could  hold  out 
no  longer.  I  knew  I  must  drop  into  hell  that  mo- 
ment unless  God  appeared  to  save  me ;  and  he  did 
appear.  I  knew  he  loved  m,e,  and  felt  sweet  peace; 
yet  I  did  not  dare  to  say  I  had  faith  till  yesterday 
was  twelvemonth.  God  gave  me  fiiith,  and  his  love 
has  ever  since  filled  my  heart.' 

*  Sunday,  May  20.— While  Mr.  Berridge  was 
preaching  I  heard  many  cry  out,  especially  chil- 
dren, whose  agonies  were  amazing.  One  of  the 
eldest,  a  girl  of  ten  or  twelve  years  old,  was  full  in 
my  \ie\\,  in  violent  contortions  of  body,  and  weep- 
ino-   aloud    I  think   inccssantlv  during   the  whole 


Revival  Scenes.  1G3 


service;  and  several  much  younger  children  were 
in  Mr.  B — ll's  view,  agonizing  as  they  did.  When 
the  power  of  religion  began  to  be  spoken  of,  the 
presence  of  God  really  filled  the  place ;  and  while 
poor  sinners  felt  the  sentence  of  death  in  their  souls, 
what  sounds  of  distress  did  I  hear!  The  greatest 
number  of  them  who  cried  or  fell  were  men ;  but 
some  women  and  several  children  felt  the  power  of 
the  same  Almighty  Spirit,  and  seemed  just  sinking 
into  hell.  Among  the  children  who  felt  the  arrows 
of  the  Almighty  I  saw  a  sturdy  boy,  who  roared 
above  his  fellows,  and  seemed  in  his  agony  to  strug- 
gle with  the  strength  of  a  grown  man.  I  staid  in 
the  next  room,  and  saw  the  girl  whom  I  had  ob- 
served so  peculiarly  distressed  in  the  church  lying 
on  the  floor  as  one  dead,  but  without  any  ghastli- 
uess  in  her  face.  In  a  few  minutes  we  were  in- 
formed of  a  woman  filled  with  peace  and  joy,  who 
Avas  crying  out  just  before.  Just  as  we  heard  of 
her  deliverance  the  girl  on  the  floor  began  to  stir. 
She  was  then  set  in  a  chair ;  and  after  sighing  aAvhile 
suddenly  rose  up,  rejoicing  in  God.  Her  face  was 
covered  with  the  most  beautiful  smile  I  ever  saw. 
Meantime  I  saw  a  thin,  pale  girl  weeping  with  sor- 
row for  herself  and  joy  for  her  companions.  Quick- 
ly the  smiles  of  heaven  came  likewise  upon  her,  and 
her  praises  joined  with  those  of  the  other.  I  also 
then  laughed  with  extreme  joy;  so  did  Mr.  B — 11, 
who  said  it  was  more  than  he  could  well  bear.  .  .  - 


164  Life  of  John  Wedey. 

Immediately  after,  a  stranger,  well  dressed,  who 
stood  facing  me,  fell  backward  to  the  wall ;  then 
forward  on  his  knees,  wringing  his  hands  and  roar- 
ing like  a  bull.  His  face  at  first  turned  quite  red, 
then  almost  black.  He  rose  and  ran  against  the 
wall,  till  Mr.  Keeling  and  another  held  him.  He 
screamed  out :  '  O  what  shall  I  do !  what  shall  I  do ! 
O  for  one  drop  of  the  blood  of  Christ!'  As  he 
spoke  God  set  his  soul  at  liberty ;  he  knew  his  sins 
were  blotted  out ;  and  the  rapture  he  was  in  seemed 
too  great  for  human  nature  to  bear.  He  had  come 
forty  miles  to  hear  Mr.  B.,  and  was  to  leave  him 
the  next  morning. 

"I  observed  about  the  time  that  Mr.  Coe  (that 
was  his  name)  began  to  rejoice,  a  girl  eleven  or 
twelve  years  old,  exceeding  poorly  dressed,  who 
appeared  to  be  as  deeply  Avounded  and  as  desirous 
of  salvation  as  any ;  but  I  lost  sight  of  her  till  I 
heard  the  joyful  sound  of  another  born  in  Zion, 
and  found  upon  inquiry  it  was  she,  the  poor,  dis- 
consolate, gipsy-looking  child.  And  now  did  I  see 
such  a  sight  as  I  do  not  expect  again  on  this  side 
eternity.  The  faces  of  the  three  justified  children, 
and  I  think  of  all  the  believers  present,  did  really 
shine;  and  such  a  beauty,  such  a  look  of  extreme 
happiness,  and  at  the  same  time  of  divine  love  and 
simplicity,  did  I  never  see  in  human  faces  till  now. 
The  newly  justified  eagerly  embraced  one  another, 
weeping  on  each  other's  necks  for  joy.     Then  they 


Rejoicing  in  God  his  Saviour.  165 

saluted  all  of  their  own  sex,  and  besought  both 
men  and  women  to  help  them  in  praising  God." 

Such  scenes  were  common  among  the  people. 
His  own  heart  rejoiced  no  less  in  God  his  Saviour: 
"Saturday,  9. — I  rode  slowly  forward  to  Berwick. 
I  was  myself  much  out  of  order;  but  I  would  not 
lose  the  opportunity  of  calling  in  the  evening  all 
that  were  weary  and  heavy-laden  to  Him  who  hath 
said, '  I  will  give  you  rest.'  Sunday,  10. — I  preached 
at  eight  and  at  four  in  the  afternoon,  and  in  the 
hours  between  spoke  with  members  of  the  society. 
I  met  them  all  at  seven,  and  a  glorious  meeting  it 
was.  I  forgot  all  my  pain  while  we  were  praising 
God  together;  but  after  they  were  gone  I  yielded 
to  my  friends,  and  determined  to  give  myself  a 
day's  rest,  so  I  spent  Monday,  the  11th,  in  writing; 
only  I  could  not  refrain  from  meeting  the  society 
in  the  evening.  Friday,  13. — At  the  meeting  of 
the  society  such  a  flame  broke  out  as  was  never 
there  before.  We  felt  such  a  love  to  each  other  as 
we  could  not  express,  such  a  spirit  of  supplication, 
and  such  a  glad  acquiescence  in  all  the  providences 
of  God,  and  confidence  that  he  would  withhold  from 
us  no  good  thing.  Sunday,  15. — The  rain  con- 
strained me  to  preach  in  the  house,  but  I  could  not 
repine;  for  God  was  there,  and  spoke  peace  to 
many  hearts.  Tuesday,  24 After  preach- 
ing again  at  one,  I  rode  to  Birmingham.  This  had 
been  long  a  dry,  uncomfortable  place,  so  I  expected 


166  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

little  good  here;  but  I  was  happily  disappointed. 
Such  a  congregatiou  I  never  saw  there  before,  and 
seldom  have  I  known  so  deep,  solemn  a  sense  of 
the  power  and  presence  and  love  of  God.  The 
same  blessing  we  had  at  the  meeting  of  the  society, 
and  again  at  the  morning  preaching.  Will  God, 
then,  at  length  cause  even  this  barren  Avilderness  to 
blossom  and  bud  as  the  rose?" 

In  1772,  when  almost  seventy,  he  felt  some  abate- 
ment of  his  accustomed  energy.  His  friends  saw 
it,  and  hence  the  following  entry  in  his  journal: 
"  1772,  February  28. — I  met  several  of  my  friends, 
who  had  begun  a  subscription  to  prevent  my  riding 
on  horseback,  which  I  cannot  do  quite  so  well  since 
a  hurt  which  I  got  some  months  ago.  If  they  con- 
tinue it,  well ;  if  not,  I  shall  have  strength  accord- 
ing to  my  need." 

A  carriage  was  provided  for  him.  In  less  than 
ten  weeks  thereafter  he  had  traveled  from  London 
to  Bristol,  and  thence  to  Birmingham,  Nottingham, 
Liverpool,  Manchester,  Glasgow,  Aberdeen,  and 
Edinburgh,  besides  a  great  number  of  intervening 
towns  and  villages,  preaching  everywhere,  and  some- 
times as  many  as  four  times  a  day.  He  had  to 
traverse  the  worst  of  roads,  and  often  encountered 
winter  storms,  and  not  unfrequently  preached  in 
the  open  air.  On  reaching  Edinburgh  he  under- 
went a  medical  examination  by  three  of  the  most 
prominent  practitioners  of  the  city.     His  disease 


A  Btisy  Invalid.  167 


was  pronounced  hydrocele.  He  writes :  "  They  sat- 
isfied me  what  my  disorder  was,  and  told  me  there 
was  but  one  method  of  cure.  Perhaps  but  one  nat- 
ural one,  but  I  think  God  has  more  than  one  meth- 
od of  healing  either  the  body  or  the  soul."  A  few 
months  later  he  writes:  "I  am  almost  a  disabled 
soldier.  I  am  forbid  to  ride,  and  am  obliged  to 
travel  mostly  in  a  carriage."  Great  concern  was 
shown  at  his  illness,  and  prayer  was  made  for  him 
by  his  friends.  Still  he  continued  to  labor  with 
unabated  efforts.  He  still  preached  in  the  open  air. 
He  writes :  "  To  this  day  field-preaching  is  a  cross 
to  me;  but  I  know  my  commission,  and  know  no 
other  way  of  preaching  the  gospel  to  every  creat- 
ure." He  was  seven  months  on  a  preaching  tour, 
returning  to  London  October  10,  1772.  Spending . 
one  day  only,  he  started  oflf  again.  At  another 
time,  when  seventy  years  old,  and  still  in  ct)inpar- 
atively  feeble  health,  he  started  in  his  chaise  from 
Bristol  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  traveled 
to  London — a  distance  of  one  hundred  and  four- 
teen miles — the  same  day.  An  entry  in  his  journal 
the  following  year  is  a  curiosity:  "Wednesday, 
March  30. — I  went  on  to  Congleton,  where  I  re- 
ceived letters  informing  me  that  my  presence  was 
necessary  at  Bristol,  So  about  one  I  took  chaise, 
and  reached  Bristol  about  half  an  hour  after  one 
the  next  day.  Having  done  my  business  in  about 
two  hours,  on  Friday  in  the  afternoon  I  reached 


168  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

Congleton  again,  about  a  hundred  and  forty  miles 
from  Bristol,  no  more  tired  (blessed  be  God !)  than 
when  I  left  it."  Thus,  over  rough  roads  in  an  in- 
clement season,  this  old  man  rode  in  his  private 
chaise  two  hundred  and  eighty  miles  in  about  forty- 
eight  hours.  Persecution,  too,  though  much  abated, 
had  not  entirely  ceased.  At  Halifax  a  ruffian 
struck  him  most  violently  on  the  face,  when  with 
tears  starting  from  his  eyes  the  venerable  saint 
meekly  turned  to  him  the  other  cheek  also,  and  the 
brutal  coward  slunk  away. 

Yet  he  uttered  not  a  syllable  of  complaint.  He 
took  a  warm  interest  in.  every  important  public 
event.  The  case  of  Wilkes  was  exciting  much  po- 
litical controversy  at  this  time,  and  Wesley  pub- 
lished a  tract  upon  it.  He  also  became  one  of  the 
first  advocates  for  the  abolition  of  the  slave-trade. 
En  1772  there  was  a  scarcity  of  provisions  in  En- 
gland, and  consequently  nuich  distress  throughout 
the  kingdom,  and  Wesley  published  a  long  letter, 
attributing  it  to  the  distillation  of  grain  into  spirits, 
the  prevalence  of  luxury,  avarice,  high  rents,  and 
high  taxes.  Another  time  he  gives  advice  as  to  the 
aim  and  spirit  with  which  Christians  should  vote. 
At  another  he  founds  "The  Christian  Community" 
for  the  relief  of  the  poor,  a  society  which  still  ex- 
ists, and  which  has  done  incalculable  good.  The 
work  grows  in  America,  and  he  seriously  thinks  of 
going  there.     Meantime  he  keei)s  up  the  work  at 


Unimpaired  at  Three-score  and  Ten.        169 

home.  At  Poplar  he  was  importuned  to  give  up 
the  preaching  there;  but  he  constantly  answered, 
■'  Does  the  old  woman  [Mrs.  Clippendale]  who  sits 
in  the  corner  of  the  long  pew  still  attend?"  "O 
yes,"  was  the  reply,  "  she  never  misses."^  "  Then, 
for  her  sake,  keep  going,"  said  Wesley.  They  did 
keep  going,  and  Poplar  came  at  last  to  have  a  good 
society.  Again,  when  at  Londonderry,  a  baud  of 
singers  which  he  had  organized  two  years  before 
had  become  dispersed,  through  the  neglect  of  the 
preacher.  He  says:  "Nothing  will  stand  in  the 
Methodist  plan  unless  the  preacher  has  his  heart 
and  his  hand  in  it.  Every  preacher,  therefore, 
should  consider  it  is  not  his  business  to  mind  this 
or  that  thing  only,  but  every  thing."  To  Benson, 
whom  he  had  sent  across  the  Tweed,  he  writes: 
"You  will  be  buried  in  Scotland  if  you  sell  your 
mare  and  sit  still.  Keep  her,  and  ride  continually. 
Sit  not  still,  at  the  peril  of  your  soul  and  body ! " 
His  own  strength  he  explains  as  follows:  "June  28, 
1774. — This  being  the  first  day  of  my  seventy-sec- 
ond year,  I  was  considering,  How  is  this,  that  I 
find  just  the  same  strength  as  I  did  thirty  years 
ago?  that  my  sight  is  considerably  better  now  and 
my  nerves  firmer  than  they  were  then?  that  I  have 
none  of  the  infirmities  of  old  age,  and  have  lost 
several  I  had  in  my  youth?  The  grand  cause  is 
the  good  pleasure  of  God,  who  doeth  whatsoever 
pleaseth  him.     The  chief  means  are:  (1)  ]\Iy  con- 


1 70  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

stantly  rising  at  four  for  about  fifty  years ;  (2)  ray 
generally  preaching  at  five  in  the  morning — one  of 
the  most  healthy  exercises  in  the  world;  (3)  ray 
never  traveling  less,  by  sea  or  land,  than  four 
thousand  five  hundred  miles  a  year." 

A  description  of  him  by  Benson,  written  about 
this  time,  is  full  of  interest.  "I  was,"  says  he, 
"  constantly  with  him  for  a  week.  I  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  examining  narrowly  his  spirit  and  con- 
duct, and  I  am  persuaded  he  is  a  none-such.  I 
know  not  his  fellow,  first  for  abilities  natural  and 
acquired,  and  secondly  for  his  incomparable  dili- 
gence in  the  application  of  those  abilities  to  the 
best  of  employments.  His  lively  fancy,  tenacious 
memory,  clear  understanding,  ready  elocution,  man- 
ly courage,  indefatigable  industry,  really  amaze  me. 
I  admire,  but  wish.^in  vain  to  imitate,  his  diligent 
improvement  of  every  moraent  of  time;  his  won- 
derful exactness  even  in  little  things;  the  order  and 
regularity  wherewith  he  does  and  treats  every  thing 
he  takes  in  hand,  together  with  his  quick  dispatch 
of  business,  and  calm,  cheerfiil  serenity  of  soul.  I 
ought  not  to  omit  to  mention — what  is  manifest  to 
all  who  know  him — his  resolution,  which  no  shocks 
of  opposition  can  shake;  his  patience,  which  no 
length  of  trials  can  weary;  his  zeal  for  the  glory 
of  God  and  the  good  of  man,  which  no  waters  of 
persecution  or  tribulation  have  yet  been  able  to 
quench.     Happy  man!     Long  hast  thou  borne  f.he 


Again  Overcomes  Sichiess.  171 

burden  and  heat  of  the  day,  amidst  the  insults  of 
foes  and  the  base  treachery  of  seeming  friends ;  but 
thou  shalt  rest  from  thy  labors,  and  thy  works  shall 
follow  thee ! "  He  was  now  beginning,  indeed,  to 
be  held  in  general  respect,  though  at  times  violent 
persecution  still  assailed  him,  and  on  two  occasions 
was  presented  with  "the  freedom  of  the  city"  at 
places  where  he  preached. 

In  1775  he  had  a  severe  illness.  At  Castle  Cand- 
field,  in  Ireland,  he  writes :  "  The  rain  came  plenti- 
fully through  the  thatch  into  my  lodging-room  ;  but 
I  found  no  present  inconvenience,  and  was  not  care- 
ful for  the  morrow."  But  six  days  afterward  he 
was  seized  with  a  burning  fever.  He  continued, 
nevertheless,  to  travel  and  preach  almost  as  usual 
for  three  days  or  more,  until  at  Lurgan  he  Avas 
obliged  to  succumb.  A  physician  was  called  in, 
who  told  him  he  must  rest.  Wesley  replied  he 
could  not,  as  he  "  had  appointed  to  preach  at  sev- 
eral places,  and  must  preach  as  long  as  he  could 
speak."  The  doctor  gave  him  medicine,  and  off 
Wesley  went  to  Tandaragu,  and  then  to  a  gentle- 
man's seat  three  miles  beyond  Lisburn,  where  nat- 
ure sunk.  Strength,  memory,  and  mind  entirely 
failed  him.  JFor  three  days  he  lay  more  dead  than 
alive.  His  tongue  was  black  and  swollen ;  he  was 
violently  convulsed;  for  some  time  his  pulse  was 
not  discernible.  Hope  was  almost  gone,  when  Jo- 
seph Bradford,  his  traveling  companion,  came  with 


172  Life  of  John  Wedey. 

a  cup,  and  said,  "  Sir,  you  must  take  thfe."  Wes- 
ley writes:  "I  thought,  I  will  if  I  can  swallow,  to 
please  him,  for  it  will  do  me  neither  good  nor 
harm.  Immediately  it  set  me  a  vomiting;  my 
heart  began  to  beat  and  my  pulse  to  play  again, 
and  from  that  hour  the  extremity  of  the  symptoms 
abated."  Six  days  afterward,  to  the  astonishment 
of  his  friends,  and,  as  he  says,  "  trusting  in  God,"  he 
set  out  for  Dublii;,  and  within  a  week  was  preach- 
ing as  usual.  Six  years  after,  he  wrote,  referring 
to  this  illness:  "From  this  time  [1775]  I  have  by 
the  grace  of  God  gone  on  in  the  same  track — trav- 
eling between  four  and  five  thousand  miles  a  year, 
and  once  in  two  years  going  through  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland,  Avhich  by  the  blessing  of  God  I  am  as 
well  able  to  do  now.  as  I  was  twenty  or  thirty  years 
ago." 

He  knew  how  to  give  advice.  The  following 
letter,  addressed  to  John  King,  one  of  his  preachers 
in  America,  is  interesting: 

"My  Dear  Brother — Always  take  advice  or  re- 
proof as  a  favor.  It  is  the  surest  mark  of  love.  I 
advised  you  once  and  you  took  it  as  an  affront, 
nevertheless  I  will  do  it  once  more.  Scream  no 
more,  at  the  peril  of  your  soul.  God  warns  you 
now  by  me,  whom  he  has  set  over  you.  Speak  as 
earnestly  as  you  can,  but  do  not  scream;  speak  with 
all  your  lieart  but  with  a  moderate  voice.  It  was 
said  of  our  Lord,  'He  shall  not  crv.'     The  word 


Giving  Advice.  173 


properly  means,  'He  shall  not  scream.'  Herein  be 
a  follower  of  me  as  I  am  of  Christ.  I  often  speak 
loud,  often  vehemently;  but  I  never  scream.  I 
never  strain  myself.  I  dare  not.  I  know  it  would 
be  a  sin  against  God  and  my  own  soul.  Perhaps 
one  reason  why  that  good  man  Thomas  Walsh, 
yea,  and  John  Manners  too,  were  in  such  griev- 
ous darkness  before  they  died  was  because  they 
shortened  their  own  lives. 

"O  John,  pray  for  an  advisable  and  teachable 
temper !  By  nature  you  are  very  far  from  it.  You 
are  stubborn  and  headstrong.  Your  last  letter  was 
written  in  a  very  wrong  spirit.  If  you  cannot  take 
advice  from  others,  surely  you  might  take  it  from 
your  affectionate  brother,  John  Wesley." 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Discipline — Works  of  Charity — Sunday-schools — Labors — 
Late  Sleeping — Asbury — Silas  Told — Fletcher — In  Hol- 
land— A  Novel. 

"TTTESLEY'S  first  act  in  1776  was  to  join  at 
V  V  a  watch-night  meeting  with  eighteen  hun- 
dred London  Methodists  in  renewing  his  covenant 
with  God.  The  enforcement  of  discipline  among 
the  members  next  engaged  his  attention,  saying: 
"  If  only  six  will  promise  to  sin  no  more,  leave  only 
six  in  society.  .  .  .  They  are  no  Methodists  who 
will  bear  no  resti'aints."  The  lease  on  the  old 
Foundry  building  was  now  drawing  to  a  close,  and 
it  was  determined  to  build  "  a  new  Foundry."  This 
was  the  beginning  of  City  Road  Chapel,  since  so 
famous.  April,  1777,  he  laid  the  corner-stone,  and 
Sunday,  November  1,  1778,  he  opened  it  with 
preach  iiig. 

In  1777  Wesley  assisted  in  organizing  and  drew 
up  the  rules  for  a  "Strangers'  Friend  Society"  in 
London,  which  gave  rise  to  the  general  society  of 
that  name  that  still  exists  in  England,  and  which 
has  done  unspeakable  good.  In  1779  "The  Naval 
and  Military  Bible  Society"  for  supplying  soldiers 
and  sailors  with  pocket  Bibles  was  founded,  twenty- 
(1V4) 


Interested  in  Siuiclay-schook.  175 

five  years  before  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  So- 
ciety, and  the  oldest  Bible  society  that  now  exists. 
And  in  1782,  seventeen  years  before-  the  origin  of 
the  Religious  Tract  Society,  Wesley  instituted  his 
"  Tract  Society"  to  distribute  religious  tracts  among 
the  poor. 

Sunday-schools  were  then  another  new  agency 
for  good  which  he  now  adopted  and  developed. 
The  first  Methodist  Sunday-school  of  which  we 
have  any  account  was  that  founded  by  Miss  Han- 
nah Ball  at  High  Wycombe,  England,  in  1769,  at 
least  four  years  before  Robt.  Raikes  began  his  fa- 
mous Sunday-school  at  Gloucester.  Indeed,  it  is 
stated  that  another  INIethodist  young  lady — Miss 
Cooke — afterward  the  wife  of  Samuel  Bradburn, 
suggested  the  latter  to  Raikes  in  1783.  At  first 
Sunday-schools  were  intended  only  for  poor  and 
neglected  children  who  were  not  able  to  get  school- 
ing in  any  other  way.  Paid  teachers  were  em- 
ployed, and  instruction  given  in  reading  and  in  the 
catechism.  Some  of  the  rules  sound  a  little  curi- 
ous now.  "The  children  were  required  to  come 
with  clean  hands  and  faces  and  hair  combed,  and 
with  such  clothing  as  they  had.  They  were  to  stay 
from  ten  to  twelve,  then  to  go  home;  to  return  at 
one,  and  after  a  lesson  to  be  conducted  to  church ; 
after  church  to  repeat  portions  of  the  catechism ;  to 
go  home  at  five  quietly,  without  playing  in  the 
streets."      Diligent   scholars   received   rewards   of 


]  "i  G  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

Bibles,  Testaments,  books,  combs,  shoes,  and  cloth- 
ing.    The  teachers  were  paid  a  shilling  a  day. 

Improvements  rapidly  followed.  In  these  Wesley 
and  the  Methodists  took  a  leading  part.  Wesley 
at  once  saw  how  useful  they  might  be  made.  As 
early  as  1784  he  writes:  "I  find  them  springing  up 
wherever  I  go.  Perhaps  God  may  have  a  deeper 
end  therein  than  men  are  aware  of.  Who  knows 
but  some  of  our  schools  may  become  nurseries  for 
Christians?"  The  children  of  Church  -  members 
were  brought  in  also.  They  began  to  teach  "  read- 
ing, writing,  and  religion."  "Inquisitors"  were 
appointed,  whose  office  it  w^as  to  spend  Sunday  aft- 
ernoon in  visiting  the  schools  to  ascertain  who  were 
absent  and  then  seek  the  absentees  at  their  homes 
or  in  the  public  streets — a  custom  well  worth  fol- 
lowing now.  Teachers  were  obtained  to  serve  with- 
out pay.  This  the  Methodists  were  the  first  to  un- 
dertake. Singing  was  next  made  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal features  of  the  exercises — a  most  important 
step — and  addresses,  made  from  time  to  time  by 
ministers,  were  introduced. 

The  results  were  very  great.  At  Leeds  twenty-six 
schools,  containing  about  two  thousand  scholars,  were 
early  established.  At  Bolton  a  school  was  started 
in  1785,  and  a  few  years  after  had  about  two  thou- 
sand scholars.  And  the  average  attendance  for  the 
first  thirty  years  of  its  existence  was  eighteen  hun- 
dred.    "The  chaup-e  in  the  manners  and  morals  of 


Slngltig  Children.  Ill 

the  children  was  marvelous,  and  about  a  hundred 
of  them  sung  like  seraphs."  Wesley  visited  it  in 
1787,  and  writes:  "From  Mr.  Peel's  we  went  to 
Bolton.  Here  are  eight  hundred  poor  children 
taught  in  our  Sunday-schools  by  about  eighty  mas- 
ters, who  receive  no  pay  but  what  they  are  to  re- 
ceive from  their  great  Master.  About  a  hundred 
of  them,  part  boys  and  part  girls,  are  taught  to 
sing,  and  they  sung  so  true  that  all  singing  together 
there  seemed  to  be  but  one  voice.  The  house  was 
thoroughly  filled  while  I  explained  and  applied  the 
first  commandment.  In  the  evening,  many  of  the 
children  still  hovering  round  the  house,  I  desired 
forty  or  fifty  to  come  in  and  sing  '  Vital  Spark  of 
Heavenly  Flame.'  Although  some  of  them-  were 
silent,  not  being  able  to  sing  for  tears,  yet  the  har- 
mony was  such  as,  I  believe,  could  not  be  equaled 
in  the  King's  chapel."  Again,  in  1788,  he  visited 
there,  and  says:  ^' About  there  I  met  between  nine 
hundred  and  one  thousand  of  the  children  belong- 
ing to  our  Sunday-schools.  I  never  saw  such  a  sight 
before.  They  were  all  exactly  clean  as  Avell  as 
plain  in  their  apparel.  All  were  serious  and  well- 
behaved.  Many,  both  boys  and  girls,  had  as  beau- 
tiful faces  as  I  believe  England  or  Europe  can 
afford.  When  they  all  sung  together,  and  none  of 
them  out  of  time,  the  melody  was  beyond  that  of 
any  theater ;  and  what  is  best  of  all,  many  of  them 
truly  fear  God,  and  some  rejoice  in  his  salvation. 
12 


17»  Life  of  John  Wedey. 

Tlicse  are  a  pattern  to  all  the  town.  Their  usual 
diversion  is  to  visit  the  poor  that  are  sick  (some- 
times six  or  eight  or  ten  together),  to  exhort,  com- 
fort, and  pray  with  them.  Frequently  ten  or  more 
of  them  get  together  to  sing  and  pray  by  them- 
selves, and  are  so  earnestly  engaged,  alternately 
singing,  praying,  and  crying,  that  they  know  not 
how  to  part." 

Such  were  some  of  the  fruits  of  Methodism — 
fruits  such  as  a  genuine  Christianity  nuist  always 
show.  In  1778  he  inaugurated  another  very  im- 
portant enterprise  in  the  publication  of  the  Armln- 
ian  Magazine.  Wesley  was  the  editor,  and  seem- 
ingly the  principal  contributor  to  the  end  of  his 
life,  publishing  in  it,  among  other  valuable  articles, 
a  number  of  his  best  sermons.  Besides  this,  he 
was  continually  issuing  various  other  publications 
on  religious  and  other  subjects.  Yet  he  was  never 
flurried  under  all  the  various  labors  thus  continu- 
ally devolving  upon  him.  He  writes:  "You  do 
not  understand  my  manner  of  life.  Though  I  am 
always  in  haste,  I  am  never  in  a  hurry ;  because  1 
never  undertake  any  more  work  than  I  can  go 
through  with  perfect  calmness  of  spirit.  ...  I 
never  spend  less  than  three  hours — frequently  ten 
or  twelve — in  the  day  alone.  So  there  are  few  per- 
sons m  the  kingdom  who  spend  so  many  hours  se- 
cluded from  all  company.  Yet  I  find  time  to  visit 
the  sick  and  the  poor ;  and  I  must  do  it  if  I  believe 


"Intemperance  in  Slee])."  179 

the  Bible."  His  secret  was  steady  diligence  in  using 
every  moment  of  time  to  the  best  advantage  in  his 
work.  He  thought  lying  in  bed  longer  than  was 
necessary — namely,  longer  than  six  or  seven  hours 
a  day  for  men,  and  a  little  longer  for  women — a 
great  evil;  because:  "1.  It  hurts  the  body.  Whether 
you  sleep  or  no  (and  indeed  it  commonly  prevents 
sleep),  it  as  it  were  soddens  and  parboils  the  flesh, 
and  sows  the  seeds  of  numerous  disorders,  of  all 
nervous  diseases  in  particular,  as  weakness,  faint- 
ness,  lowness  of  spirits,  nervous  headaches,  and 
consequent  weakness  of  sight.  2.  It  hurts  the 
mind ;  it  weakens  the  understanding ;  it  blunts  the 
imagination;  it  weakens  the  memory;  it  dulls  all 
the  nobler  affections;  it  takes  off"  the  edge  of  the 
soul,  impairs  its  vigor  and  firmness,  and  infuses  a 
wrong  softness,  quite  inconsistent  with  the  charac- 
ter of  a  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ ;  it  grieves  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God,  and  prevents,  or  at  least  lessens, 
those  blessed  influences  which  tend  to  make  you 
not  almost  but  altogether  a  Christian."  He  says 
that  "intemperance  in  sleep"  is  the  cause — what 
very  few  people  are  aware  of — why  many  people 
have  not  better  health  of  body  or  of  mind,  and 
advises:  "Lie  down  at  ten  o'clock  and  rise  between 
five  and  six,  whether  you  sleep  or  no.  If  your 
head  aches  in  the  day,  bear  it.  In  a  week  you  will 
sleep  sound." 

The  increase  of  popery  and  the  financial  distress 


180  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

of  the  country  also  occasioned  long  communications 
from  him,  the  first  being  published  in  the  Public 
Advertiser,  the  latter  being  addressed  to  Mr.  Pitt, 
the  Prime-minister. 

As  a  preacher  he  seems  to  have  lost  nothing  of 
his  power.  At  Madeley  "both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Fletcher  complained  that  after  all  the  pains  they 
had  taken  they  could  not  prevail  on  the  people  to 
join  in  society;  no,  nor  even  to  meet  in  class."  But 
Wesley,  on  visiting  them,  preached  "two  rousing 
sermons,"  and  "then  desired  those  who  were  will- 
ing to  join  together  for  Christian  fellowship  to  call 
upon  him  and  Mr.  Fletcher  after  service.  Ninety- 
four  persons  did  so — about  as  many  men  as  wom- 
en." 

He  was  still  aided  by  devoted  and  able  men. 
Besides  those  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  in 
America  Francis  Asbury  trod  closely  in  his  foot- 
steps, if  he  did  not  surpass  him  in  labors.  Besides 
traveling  and  preaching,  he  made  it  a  rule  to  read 
a  hundred  pages  daily,  and  to  spend  three  hours 
every  day  in  prayer.  Cabins  of  the  most  misera- 
ble description  were  his  usual  homes;  his  daily 
rides  were  often  from  thirty  to  fifty  miles  o%er 
mountains  and  swamps,  through  bridgeless  rivers 
and  pathless  woods,  his  horse  weary,  and  he  him- 
self often  cold,  wet,  and  hungry.  For  forty-five 
years  he  made  a  tour  of  the  States,  for  the  most 
part  on  horseback,  traveling  never  less  than  five 


J^raiicis  Asbitry  and  Others.  181 


thousand,  aud  often  more  than  six  thousand  miles  a 
year,  frequently  through  uninhabited  forests  without 
a  companion  or  a  guide.  Usually  he  preached  at 
least  once  every  week-day  and  thrice  every  Sunday. 
His  custom  was  to  pray  with  every  family  on  whom 
he  called  in  his  wide  wanderings.  He  presided 
over  seven  widely  separated  Conferences  every 
year,  and  during  the  same  space  of  time  wrote  to 
his  preachers  and  his  friends  upon  an  average 
about  a  thousand  letters.  For  his  services  he  re- 
ceived sixty-four  dollars  and  his  traveling  expenses. 
Early  educational  advantages  he  had  none;  but, 
notwithstanding  all  his  difficulties,  and  despite  fre- 
quently suffering  from  the  maladies  arising  from 
his  exposure  to  the  malaria  of  a  new  country,  he 
became  proficient  in  Latin,  Greek,  and  Hebrew; 
acquainted  with  several  branches  of  polite  litera- 
ture, and  kept  abreast  with  the  history  of  his  times. 
He  rode  till  he  could  ride  no  longer,  and  then 
might  have  been  seen  moving  about  on  crutches,  and 
helped  in  and  out  of  his  light  spring-wagon  in 
which  he  continued  to  pursue  his  wanderings  till 
he  died  in  Baltimore  in  1816.  Before  he  died  he 
enjoined  that  no  life  of  him  should  be  published, 
and  to  the  present  his  injunction  has  been  substan- 
tially observed. 

Others  in  humble  spheres  were  moved  to  unusual 
labors.  There  was  Silas  Told,  the  master  of  the 
Foundry  school,  who  made  it  the  great  business  of 


182  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

his  life  to  visit  the  London  prisons  and  preach  to 
debtors  and  malefactors  until  there  was  not  a  prison 
in  the  metropolis,  nor  scarcely  a  work-house  within 
twelve  miles  round  it,  where  he  was  not  a  frequent 
and  welcome  visitor.  The  scenes  he  witnessed  were 
horrible,  but  for  thirty  years  he  continued  his  work. 
All  sorts  of  criminals — papists  and  Protestants — 
clung  to  him  in  their  anguish  for  counsel  and  con- 
solation. Even  turnkeys,  sheriffs,  and  hangmen, 
though  opposing  him  at  first,  could  not  withstand 
his  persistence,  and  were  wont  to  weep  at  length 
with  the  prisoners  under  his  exhortations  and  his 
prayers.  He  died  when  nearly  seventy  years  old, 
and  Wesley  preached  his  funeral-sermon. 

One  of  Wesley's  strongest  supporters  was  now 
tottering  on  the  edge  of  the  grave.  John  Fletch- 
er had  for  some  years  been  in  feeble  health.  At 
the  Conference  in  1777  he  entered  emaciated,  fee- 
ble, and  ghost-like.  In  an  instant  the  whole  as- 
sembly stood  up,  and  Wesley  advanced  to  meet  his 
almost  seraphic  friend.  The  apparently  dying  man 
began  to  address  them,  and  soon  one  and  all  were 
bathed  in  tears.  Wesley,  fearing  he  was  speaking 
too  much,  abruptly  knelt  at  his  side  and  began  to 
pray.  Down  fell  they  all  and  joined  in  his  peti- 
tion. The  burden  of  their  prayer  was  that  their 
friend  might  be  spared  a  little  longer,  until  at  last 
Wesley  exclaimed  with  a  confidence  that  thrilled 
every  heart:  "  PTe  shall  not  die,  l)ut  live  and  de- 


Among  the  Hollanders.  188 

clare  the  Avorks  of  the  Lord ! "  Nor  did  he  die  till 
eight  years  after. 

Wesley's  eightieth  birthday  was  spent  in  Hol- 
land. William  Ferguson,  one  of  his  local  preach- 
ers, had  i-emoved  there,  and  by  his  earnest  piety 
and  labors  attracted  great  attention,  including  that 
of  many  of  the  principal  inhabitants.  He  spoke 
much  of  Wesley  and  distributed  his  sermons.  A 
general  wish  was  expressed  to  see  him ;  and  Wesley, 
who  for  forty  years  had  not  indulged  in  a  holiday 
from  his  incessant  labors,  passed  over  to  Holland 
for  seventeen  days,  "  partly  for  relaxation  and 
partlv  to  indulge  and  enlarge  his  catholic  spirit  by 
forming  an  acquaintance  with  the  truly  pious  in 
foreign  nations."  His  visit  was  eminently  pleas- 
ant. Ministers  of  the  churches  welcomed  him,  and 
persons  of  high  rank  showed  him  honor.  At  Rot- 
terdam he  preached  tAvice  in  the  Episcopal  chuix-h 
to  large  congregations.  At  the  Hague  he  met  a 
company  at  the  house  of  a  lady  of  the  first  rank, 
and  expounded  to  them  the  thirteenth  chapter  of 

First    Corinthians,    Captain    M interpreting. 

He  held  a  service  on  the  passenger-boat  between 
Haarlem  and  Amsterdanj,  singing  and  speaking  to 
the  people,  Ferguson  being  the  interpreter;  "  and  all 
our  hearts,"  writes  Wesley,  "  were  strangely  knit  to- 
gether, so  that  when  we  came  to  Amsterdam  they  dis- 
missed us  with  abundance  of  blessings."  So  he  passed 
the  time.     When  he  started  for  England  again,  "it 


1 84  Ln.fe  of  John  Wesley. 


was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  we  could  break  from 
them.  Two  of  our  sisters,  when  we  left  the  Hague, 
came  twelve  miles  with  us  on  the  way ;  and  one  of 
our  brethren  of  Amsterdam  came  to  take  leave  of 
us  to  Utrecht,  above  thirty  miles.  I  believe  if  my 
life  be  prolonged  I  shall  pay  them  a  visit  at  least 
every  other  year." 

His  cheerful  spirit  had  nothing  forbidding  in  it. 
His  piety  had  no  gloom  or  sourness.  He  was  not 
a  fanatic,  but  a  sincere  and  happy  Christian.  He 
had  humor  also,  and  could  afford  on  occasions  to 
indulge  in  a  little  jjleasantry.  An  instance  of  this 
it  is  not  inappropriate  to  quote.  It  is  well  known 
that  in  1780  he  published  a  revised  and  abridged 
edition  of  a  novel,  entitled  "The  Fool  of  Quality." 
This  was  a  source  of  great  i)erplexity  to  one  section 
of  his  admirers.  John  Easton,  one  of  his  itiner- 
ants, belonged  to  these.  After  John  had  very  free- 
ly condemned  his  conduct  to  his  face,  Wesley  replied : 
"  Did  you  read '  Vindex,'  John ?  "  "  Yes,  sir."  "  Did 
you  laugh,  John?"  "No,  sir."  "Did  you  read 
'  Damon  and  Pythias,'  John  ?  "  "  Yes,  sir."  "  Did 
you  cry,  John?"  "No,  sir."  Lifting  up  his  eyes 
and  clasping  his  hands,  Wesley  exclaimed :  "  O 
earth,  earth,  earth ! " 

Wesley  was  much  refreshed  by  his  trip  to  Hol- 
land ;  but  at  Conference  soon  after,  in  the  midst 
of  the  business,  he  was  seized  Avith  alarming  illness. 
His  friends  thought  his  end  had  come,  and  so  did 


Dying,  yet  Loath  to  he  Idle.  185 

he  himself.  For  eighteen  days  he  hung  between 
life  and  death,  when  he  found  himself  somewhat 
better.  The  same  day,  "being  unwilling  to  be 
idle,"  he  spent  an  hour  with  the  Bristol  penitents ; 
the  day  following  preached  twice,  and  the  day  after 
that  set  out  again  on  his  gospel  wanderings. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Deed  of  Declaration — Organization  of  the  Churcli  in  Amer- 
ica— Ordination — Virtual  Separation — Consecration  of 
Coke — Ceaseless  Labors — Dancing  and  Novel-reading — 
Proper  Style  of  Preaching — A  Beautiful  Old  Age. 

THE  year  1784  has  been  called  the  grand  cli- 
macteric year  of  Methodism.  Two  movements 
leading  to  the  erection  of  Methodism  into  a  dis- 
tinct and  independent  Church  organization,  both 
in  England  and  America,  took  place  at  the  Confer- 
ence of  this  year.  The  first  was  Wesley's  execu- 
tion of  his  famous  "  Deed  of  Declaration,"  by  which 
lie  conveyed  the  possession  and  use  of  all  his  chaji- 
els  to  one  hundred  of  his  preachers,  designated  by 
name,  in  trust  to  hold  the  same  for  the  promotion 
of  the  gospel,  and  with  power,  after  the  death  of 
himself  and  his  brother  Charles,  to  appoint  the 
preachers  who  should  preach  in  them  from  year  to 
year,  etc.  Before  this  the  chapels  had  all  been 
vested  in  him  and  Charles;  but  there  was  no  pro- 
vision where  their  power  should  be  lodged  in  case 
of  their  death,  or  how  it  should  be  exercised.  To 
settle  the  matter,  Wesley  executed  this  deed-pre- 
serving, however,  to  himself  and  his  brother  Charles, 
as  a  life  estate  therein,  the  power  to  make  the  ap- 
(18fi) 


Church  ill  America  Organized.  187 


pointments,  etc.,  during  the  life  of  both  or  either  of 
them. 

The  deed  created  great  excitement.  There  had 
been  one  hundred  and  ninety-two  members  of  Con- 
ference, and  of  course  the  selection  of  the  legal  one 
hundred  by  Wesley  made  necessary  the  retirement 
of  the  other  ninety-two  from  all  the  business  of 
Conference.  Active  opposition  was  at  once  aroused 
against  it,  and  consequences  of  the  most  serious 
kind  threatened  Methodism  for  awhile.  Five  of 
the  principal  opponents  of  the  measure  at  length 
withdrew,  and  twenty-five  more  of  the  ninety-two 
eventually  followed  them.  But  the  crisis  passed, 
and  Methodism  in  England  became  a  permanent, 
organized,  and  distinct  ecclesiastical  body.  The 
itinerancy  w^as  also  preserved,  and  Methodism  pre- 
vented from  being  merged  into  Congregationalism. 

Another  momentous  step  taken  was  the  episcopal 
organization  of  the  Methodist  societies  in  Amer- 
ica. Hitherto  Wesley  had  refrained,  for  "many  of 
reasons,"  from  ordaining  preachers  himself  The 
Methodists  in  America  had  grown  rapidly,  until 
now  they  formed  a  large  body  of  twelve  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  fifteen  members,  with  forty-six 
circuits  and  eighty-three  itinerant  preachers,  be- 
sides hundreds  of  local  preachers.  The  clergymen 
of  the  Church  of  England,  comparatively  few  of 
whom  had  remained  on  the  triumph  of  the  colo- 
nies at  the   close  of  the  war,  were  nearly  all  little 


188  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

better  than  deists,  and  bitter  persecutors  of  the 
Methodists.  In  consequence,  the  latter  demanded 
the  administration  of  the  sacraments  from  their 
own  preachers.  Many  had  been  for  years  without 
these  sacred  ordinances.  In  1780  Mr.  Wesley  had 
applied  to  Bishop  Lowth  for  ordination  for  some 
of  his  preachers  in  America,  but  was  refused,  the 
Bishop  saying,  "There  are  three  ministers  in  that 
country  already."  Wesley  answered  him:  "Sup- 
pose there  were  three-score  of  those  missionaries  in 
the  country,  could  I  in  conscience  recommend  these 
souls  to  their  care?  Do  they  take  care  of  their 
own  souls?  ...  I  know  what  manner  of  men  the 
greater  part  of  these  are.  They  are  men  who  have 
neither  the  power  of  religion  nor  the  form;  men 
that  lay  no  claim  to  piety  nor  even  to  decency." 
At  length  the  preachers  in  Virginia  ordained  them- 
selves, and  began  to  administer  the  sacraments. 
Asbury,  a  year  after,  with  great  difficulty  per- 
suaded them  to  suspend  this  till  further  advice 
could  be  had  from  Wesley,  and  wrote  Wesley  tell- 
ing him  of  the  greatness  of  the  work,  of  the  divis- 
ion that  was  taking  place,  and  of  the  general  un- 
easmess  of  the  people  respecting  their  unbaptized 
infants  and  their  inability  to  partake  of  the  Lord's 
Supper.  The  result  was  that  Wesley,  at  the  Con- 
ference of  1784,  himself,  in  his  select  committee  oi 
consultation,  first  proposed  the  plan  which  was  sub- 
sequently carried   out.     "The  preachers  were  as- 


Cohe,  Whatcoat,  and  Vasey  Appointed.      189 

tonished  when  this  was  mentioned,  and  to  a  man 
opposed  it ;  but  I  saw  plainly,"  writes  John  Pawson, 
who  was  present,  "  that  it  would  be  done,  as  Mr.  Wes- 
ley's mind  appeared  to  be  quite  made  up."  As  we 
have  already  seen,  of  his  power  to  ordain  others  Wes- 
ley had  no  doubt.  He  shocked  Charles  in  1780  by 
saying,  "  I  verily  believe  I  have  as  good  a  right  to 
ordain  as  to  administer  the  Lord's  Supper;"  and 
more  than  once  he  declared  that  to  believe  that 
none  but  episcopal  ordination  was  valid  "  was  an 
entire  mistake."  Coke,  Whatcoat,  and  Vasey  were 
appointed  to  America ;  and  in  a  short  time  after- 
ward he  ordained  Whatcoat  and  Vasey  as  elders 
and  consecrated  Coke,  Avho  was  already  a  priest  of 
the  Church  of  England,  "superintendent"  of  the 
work  in  America,  and  "as  a  fit  person  to  preside 
over  the  flock  of  Christ."  He  also  wrote  to  the  Meth- 
odists of  America  telling  them  what  he  had  done, 
and  also  that  he  had  "  prepared  a  liturgy  little  differ- 
ing from  that  of  the  Church  of  England  (I  think 
the  best  constituted  national  Church  in  the  world), 
which  I  advise  all  the  traveling  preachers  to  use 
on  the  Lord's-day  in  all  the  congregations,  reading 
the  litany  only  on  Wednesdays  and  Fridays,  and 
praying  extempore  on  all  other  days."  He  also, 
as  is  well  known,  sent  them  twenty-five  articles  of 
religion,  revised  ii'om  the  thirty-nine  articles  of  the 
Church  of  England.  He  gives  as  a  reason  for  his 
action  that  the    colonies   being  now  independent 


1 90  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

"the  English  Government  has  no  authority  over 
them,  either  civil  or  ecclesiastical ; "  and  that  while 
Congress  and  the  various  State  Legislatures  exer- 
cised a  civil  authority  over  them,  "  no  one  either 
exercises  or  claims  any  ecclesiastical  authority  at 
all;"  and  that  he  conceived  himself  "at  full  lib- 
erty, as  I  violate  no  order  and  invade  no  man's 
rights  by  appointing  and  sending  laborers  into  the 
harvest."  He  adds  that  he  prefers  this  to  ordina- 
tion by  the  English  bishops.  "  It  has,  indeed,  been 
proposed  to  desire  the  English  bishops  to  ordain 
j)art  of  our  preachers  for  America ;  but  to  this  I  ob- 
ject. (1)  I  desired  the  Bishop  of  London  to  ordain 
one,  but  could  not  prevail.  (2)  If  they  consented, 
we  know  the  slowness  of  their  proceedings ;  but  the 
matter  admits  of  no  delay.  (3)  If  they  would  or- 
dain them  now,  they  would  expect  to  govern  them ; 
and  how  grievously  would  this  entangle  us!  (4)  As 
our  American  brethren  are  now  totally  disentan- 
gled, both  fiom  the  State  and  the  English  hier- 
archy, we  dare  not  entangle  them  again,  either  with 
the  one  or  the  other.  They  are  now  at  full  liberty 
simply  to  follow  the  Scriptures  and  the  primitive 
Church ;  and  we  judge  it  best  that  they  should 
stand  fast  in  that  liberty  wherewith  God  has  so 
strangely  set  them  free." 

These  fiicts  show  conclusively  that  Wesley  in- 
tended to  found  a  distinct  and  entirely  independent 
Church  in  America.     There  was  really,  upon  the 


The  Question  of  SeparaU on.  191 

High-church  theory,  no  Episcopal  Church  in  Amer- 
ica. Only  those  who  had  been  reared  in  the  moth- 
er country,  or  had  crossed  over  from  America  and 
been  confirmed  in  Great  Britain,  were  communi- 
cants; for  no  bishop  of  the  Church  of  England  had 
thus  far  ever  come  to  America.  But  further,  the 
Church  of  England  did  not  now  have  jurisdiction 
— it  did  not  exist — in  America,  inasmuch  as  the 
laws  of  England,  which  alone  established  it,  had 
now  no  authority  there,  while  on  the  other  hand  no 
American  Episcopal  Church  had  yet  been  organ- 
ized. Thus,  besides  the  prelatical  theory  of  "no 
bishop,  no  Church,"  there  was,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
then  no  Episcopal  Church  in  America. 

Wesley's  act  of  ordination  in  England  was  itself 
an  act  of  separation  of  himself  fi'om  the  Estab- 
lished Church,  though  he  constantly  but  very  in- 
consistently protested  it  wns  not.  But  such  was  the 
view  taken  of  it  by  many  others,  and  great  excite- 
ment arose.  Charles  Wesley  was  scandalized.  He 
wrote  to  Wesley :  "  Lord  Mansfield  told  me  last 
year  that  ordination  was  separation.  This  my 
brothei"  does  not  and  will  not  see."  Wesley  wrote, 
in  answer  to  Charles's  assertion  that  he  had  been 
inconsistent  inasmvich  as  he  had  uniformly  refiised  to 
ordain  any  of  his  j^reachers  in  England :  "  For  these 
forty  years  I  have  been  in  doubt  concerning  that 
question.  What  obedience  is  due  to  '  heathenish  priests 
and  mitered  infidels?'     I  have  from  time  to  time 


192  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

proposed  my  doubt  to  the  most  pious  and  sensible 
clergymen  I  knew,  but  they  gave  me  no  satisfac- 
tion ;  rather,  they  seemed  to  be  puzzled  as  well  as 
me.  Obedience  I  always  paid  to  the  bishops,  in 
obedience  to  the  laws  of  the  land ;  but  I  cannot  see 
that  I  am  under  any  obligation  to  obey  them  fur- 
ther than  those  laws  require.  It  is  in  obedience  to 
those  laws  that  I  have  never  exercised  in  England 
the  power  which  I  believe  God  has  given  me.  I 
firmly  believe  I  am  a  scriptural  episcopos  as  much 
as  any  man  in  England  or  in  Europe ;  for  the  unin- 
terrupted succession  I  know  to  be  a  fable  which  no 
man  ever  did  or  can  prove." 

Still  he  contended  that  this  did  not  involve  a  sep- 
aration from  the  Church  of  England ;  that  he  was 
still  a  member  of  that  Church,  nor  had  any  desire 
to  separate  from  it.  But  he  continued  his  ordina- 
nations,  and  a  year  afterward  ordained  three  preach- 
ers in  Scotland,  where  the  Methodists  were  situated 
very  much  as  in  America.  In  1786  he  ordained 
two  more  for  Scotland,  one  for  Antigua,  and  one  for 
Newfoundland;  1787,  five  others;  1788,  two  more 
in  Scotland,  and  in  1789  two  others.  "But,"  says 
he,  "this  is  no  separation  from  the  Church  at  all. 
Not  from  the  Church  of  Scotland,  for  we  were 
never  connected  therewith  any  further  than  we  are 
now;  nor  from  the  Chui'ch  of  England,  for  this  is 
not  concerned  in  the  steps  which  are  taken  in  Scot- 
land.   Whatever,  then,  is  done  in  America  or  Scot- 


Providing  for  the  Scattered  Sheep.  193 


land  is  no  separation  from  the  Church  of  England. 
I  have  no  thouglit  of  this;  I  have  manf  objections 
against  it.  It  is  a  totally  different  case.  '  But  for 
all  this,  is  it  not  possible  there  may  be  such  a  sepa- 
ration after  you  are  dead?'  Undoubtedly  it  is;  but 
what  I  said  at  our  first  Conference,  above  forty  years 
ago,  I  say  still:  I  dare  not  omit  doing  what  good  I 
can  while  I  live,  for  fear  of  evils  that  may  follow- 
when  I  am  dead." 

In  a  word,  Wesley  preferred  that  those  who  were 
n(tt  already  members  of  the  national  Church  should 
remain  without  it,  and  even  contemplated  the  sejia- 
ration  of  those  already  in  it  a,s  an  event  possible  in 
the  future,  though  personally  he  wished  to  live  out 
his  days  in  the  Church  of  England.  Doubtless  he 
was  inconsistent,  and  Lord  Mansfield's  assertion  was 
true  that  in  ordaining  he  thereby  actually  separated 
himself  from  that  Church ;  but  it  is  not  surprising, 
in  view  of  the  life-long  associations  and  sympathies 
of  Wesley  with  his  mother  Church,  that  he  could 
not  bring  himself  to  admit  the  fact.  But  his  un- 
swerving devotion  to  duty  and  the  cause  of  human- 
ity and  of  Christ  led  him,  notwithstanding,  to  still 
provide  for  the  sheeiJ  scattered  abroad. 

This  he  did  toward  the  last  by  relaxing  also  in 
various  other  respects.  The  demand  for  services  in 
the  chapels  at  the  hours  when  they  Avere  being  held 
in  the  churches  also  grew  strong,  and  at  last  he  al- 
lowed it,  "on  condition  that  divine  service  never  be 
13 


194  Life  of  John  Wedcy. 

jiorforined  in  the  church  hours  when  the  sacrament 
is  adniinib^ercd  in  the  parit*li  church  where  the 
preaching-house  is  situated."  In  1788  he  published 
a  I'inio  volume  of  four  hundred  and  thirty  pages — 
"The  Sunday  Service  of  the  Methodists" — in  real- 
ity an  altered  edition  of  the  Prayer-book,  in  whicli 
mateiial  alterations  are  made  in  the  verbiage,  in 
the  forms,  in  the  ritual,  and  even  in  the  articles  of 
religion.  Everywhere  the  word  "  priest"  is  left  out 
and  "elder"  substituted.  The  order  of  confirma- 
tion is  omitted,  as  also  the  form  of  absolution  and 
some  others;  and  in  lieu  of  the  three  forms  in  the 
Prayer-book  for  ordaining  deacons,  priests,  and  bish- 
ops, Wesley  gives  three  forms  for  "ordaining  super- 
intendents, elders,  and  deacons." 

His  end  was  now  hastening  on;  but  he  hastened 
no  less  in  the  King's  business.  At  eighty-four  we 
find  him  for  five  days  traversing  the  streets  of  Lon- 
don to  obtain  subscriptions  for  the  relief  of  poor 
members  of  his  London  society.  His  Arminiun 
Magazine  and  other  publications  are  issued  reg- 
ularly, and  are  as  racy  and  able  as  ever.  His 
traveling,  visiting,  and  preaching  are  as  laborious 
as  forty  years  before.  We  find  him  at  Birming- 
ham, after  traveling  by  stage-coach  for  nineteerx 
hours,  immediately  entering  into  the  chapel  and 
preaching;  the  next  day  off  again  before  five  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  traveling  nearly  eleven  hours,  and 
preaching  again  at  night  at  Gloucester.     On  the 


Youthful  at  Eighty-four.  195 


next  morning  he  set  out  again  at  two  o'clock,  trav- 
eled till  half-past  four  in  the  afternoon,  and  preached 
at  Salisbury  in  the  evening.  Next  morning  at  four 
he  took  chaise  to  Southampton,  where  he  pj*eached 
the  same  day  and  the  next.  At  one  time  he  makes 
a  seven  months'  tour;  at  another,  five  months'.  At 
another  time  he  devotes  himself  to  writing  a  book 
he  was  anxious  to  finish.  He  says,  September  26 : 
"To  this  I  dedicated  all  the  time  I  could  spare,  till 
November,  from  five  in  the  morning  till  eight  at 
night.  These  are  my  studying  hours.  I  cannot 
write  longer  in  the  day  without  hurting  my  eyes." 
He  still  went  through  storms  and  snows  as  if  he 
were  a  strong  young  man.  His  mind,  and  heart 
too,  still  seemed  to  retain  all  the  elasticity  of  his 
youth,  and  his  interest  in  every  thing  about  him 
as  fresh  as  ever.  He  expresses  himself  on  the  sub- 
ject of  dancing  and  novel-reading,  condemning  the 
first  as  "  leading  young  women  to  numberless  evils," 
and  "recommending  very  few  novels  to  young  per- 
sons, for  fear  they  should  be  desirous  of  more,"  and 
saying,  "  The  want  of  novels  may  be  more  than  sup- 
plied by  well-chosen  history."  He  publishes  his 
sermon  on  "Dress,"  and  shows  that  the  natural  re- 
sults of  fine  dress  are  pride,  vanity,  anger,  and  lust. 
Another  sermon  on  the  "More  Excellent  Way" 
enforces  his  views  on  early  rising,  business,  food 
conversation,  amusements,  and  money.  On  the  last 
he  dwells  with  especial  emphasis,  and   terribly  de- 


J  96  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

nounces  the  laying  up  treasures  upon  earth.  I've 
other  sermons  published  in  1787 — one  on  "Christian 
C/Ourtesy,"  the  other  on  "  Former  Times  Better  than 
These  "—are  remarkable  productions.  He  speaks  of 
his  style  of  preaching:  "Is  there  need  to  apologize 
to  sensible  persons  for  the  plainness  of  my  style, 
.  .  .  which  I  use  from  choice,  not  necessity?  1 
could,  even  now,  w  rite  as  floridly  and  rhetorically 
as  even  the  admired  Dr.  B ;  but  I  dare  not,  be- 
cause I  seek  the  honor  that  cometh  from  God  only. 
What  is  the  praise  of  man  to  me,  that  have  one  fooi 
in  the  grave  and  am  stepping  in  the  land  whence  I 
shall  not  return  ?  Therefore  I  dare  no  more  write 
in  a  fine  style  than  wear  a  fine  coat.  But,  w  ere  it 
otherwise,  had  I  time  to  spare,  I  should  still  write 
just  as  I  do;  I  should  purposely  decline  what  many 
admire — a  highly  ornamental  style.  I  cannot  ad- 
mire French  oratory ;  I  despise  it  from  my  heart. 
.  .  .  God  himself  has  told  us  how  to  speak,  both  as 
to  the  matter  and  the  manner.  'If  any  man  speak 
in  the  name  of  God,  let  him  speak  as  the  oracles  of 
God;'  and  if  he  would  imitate  any  part  of  these 
above  the  rest,  let  it  be  the  First  Epistle  of  St. 
John.  This  is  the  style — the  most  excellent  style 
— for  every  gospel  preacher." 

He  attends  the  classes,  though  it  was  even  now 
an  irksome  task.  He  writes:  "1787,  November 
19. — I  began  the  unpleasing  work  of  visiting  the 
classes.     I  still  continue  to  do  this  in  London  and 


In  the  Deepest  Winter  of  Age.  197 

Bristol,  as  well  as  in  Cork  and  Dublin."  He  speaks 
of  the  itinerant .  system  of  Methodism :  "  It  must 
not  be  altered  till  I  am  removed,  and  I  hope  it  will 
remain  till  our  Lord  comes  to  reign  upon  earth." 
He  meets  Howard,  the  great  philanthropist,  who 
writes:  "I  was  encouraged  by  him  to  go  on  vigo- 
rously with  my  own  designs.  I  saw  in  him  how 
much  a  single  man  might  achieve  by  zeal  and  per- 
severance, .  .  .  and  I  determined  I  would  pursue 
my  work  with  more  alacrity  than  ever."  He  gives 
us  his  experience:  "February  24,  1786. — I  do  not 
remember  to  have  heard  or  read  any  thing  like  my 
own  experience.  Almost  ever  since  I  can  remem- 
ber I  have  been  led  on  in  a  peculiar  way.  I  go  on 
in  an  even  line,  being  very  little  raised  at  one  time 
or  depressed  at  another.  ...  I  am  very  rarely  led 
by  impressions,  but  generally  by  reason  and  by 
Scripture.  I  see  abundantly  more  than  I  feel.  I 
want  to  feel  more  love  and  zeal  for  God." 

Three  years  later,  when  Wesley  was  eighty-six 
years  of  age,  Mr.  Alexander  Knox  visited  him,  and 
writes:  "I  was  delighted  to  find  his  cheerfulness  in 
no  respect  abated.  It  was  too  obvious  that  his 
bodily  frame  was  sinking ;  but  his  spirit  was  as  alert 
as  ever,  and  he  was  little  less  the  life  of  the  com- 
pany he  happened  to  be  in  than  he  had  been  three 
and  twenty  years  before,  when  I  first  knew  him. 
Such  unclouded  sunshine  of  the  breast,  in  the  deep- 
est winter  of  age  and  on  the  felt  verge  of  eternity, 


1 1)8  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

bespoke  a  mind  whose  recollections  were  as  unsul- 
lied as  its  present  sensations  were  serene."  An  in- 
cident that  happened  about  the  same  time  illustrates 
his  bright  frame  of  mind.  At  a  large  party  of 
friends  who  were  assembled  to  meet  him  at  dinner, 
while  the  meal  was  in  progress  he  suddenly  laid 
down  his  knife  and  fork,  clasped  his  hands,  and 
lifted  up  his  eyes  as  in  the  attitude  of  prayer  and 
praise.  In  an  instant  all  were  silent,  and  Wesley 
gave  out  and  sung  with  great  animation : 

"And  can  we  forget, 

In  tasting  our  meat. 
The  angelical  food  which  erelong  we  shall  eat, 

When  enrolled  with  the  blest 

In  glory  we  rest. 
And  forever  sit  down  at  the  heavenly  feast?" 

The  happy  old  man,  then  so  near  the  gates  of 
heaven,  quietly  resumed  his  knife  and  fork. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Tlie  Better  Land  in  View— Fletcher's  Death — Cliark>}, 
Wesley's  Death — Beginning  of  the  End — Dangers  and 
Duty  of  the  Rich — Wesley's  Example — Last  Sermon.- 
— Last  Illness  —  "The  Clouds  Drop  Fatness" — Wesley 
Rests  from  his  Labors. 

IT  was  no  wonder  that  Wesley's  thoughts  now 
often  turned  to  the  better  land.  There  he  was 
soon  at  last  to  rest.  There  almost  all  of  his  oldest 
and  best  loved  friends  had  preceded  him.  Vincent 
Perronet  and  John  Fletcher  both  departed  in  1785. 
The  former  was  in  the  ninety-second  year  of  his 
age.  Wesley  was  in  Ireland  at  the  time,  and 
Charles  Wesley  buried  him.  For  the  last  twenty 
years  he  had  enjoyed  such  a  degree  of  fellowship 
with  God  as  rarely  is  experienced  by  man  in  this 
world.  He  lived  chiefly  in  his  library,  but  when 
he  mingled  with  his  friends  was  always  cheerful. 
His  favorite  study  was  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy, 
and  the  second  coming  and  visible  reign  of  Christ 
on  earth. 

Fletcher  died  in  triumphant  joy.  He  had  on 
the  previous  Sunday  preached  and  administered  the 
Lord's  Supper  in  his  parish  church.  Among  the 
last  words  which  he  addressed  to  his  loved  wife 
were :  "  0  Polly,  my  dear  Polly,  God  is  love !    Shout. 

(190) 


200  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

sliout  aloud!  I  want  a  gust  of  praise  to  go  to  the 
ends  of  the  earth!"  Wesley  was  again  absent  in 
the  West  of  England,  and  unable  either  to  see  him 
or  to  attend  his  funeral ;  but  as  soon  as  possible  he 
published  a  sermon  in  memory  of  him,  taking  the 
same  text  as  Charles  had  taken  at  the  death  of 
Perronet:  "Mark  the  perfect  man,  and  behold  the 
u]u-ight;  for  the  end  of  that  man  is  peace."  He 
says:  "1  was  intimately  acquainted  with  him  for 
above  thirty  years.  I  conversed  with  him  morn- 
ing, noon,  and  night  without  the  least  reserve  dur- 
ing a  journey  of  many  hundred  miles,  and  in  all 
that  time  I  never  heard  him  speak  one  improper 
word,  nor  saw  him  do  an  improper  action.  Many 
exemplary  men  have  I  known,  holy  in  heart  and 
life,  within  four-score  years,  but  one  equal  to  him  I 
have  not  known — one  so  inwardly  and  outwardly 
devoted  to  God.  So  unblamable  a  character  I  have 
not  found,  either  in  Europe  or  in  America;  and  I 
scarce  expect  to  find  such  another  on  this  side  of 
eternity." 

Charles  Wesley  was  still  left.  The  two  brothers 
had  often  differed  in  their  views,  but  had  ever  been 
united  as  one  man  in  affection,  in  labors,  and  in 
manner  of  life.  But  now  he  too  began  to  decline, 
and  early  in  1788  it  appeared  evident  that  he  must 
soon  die.  Wesley  clung  to  the  hope,  however,  that 
he  might  still  live,  and  wrote  him  repeatedly  urg- 
ing him  to  take  such  measures  as  were  advisable  to 


His  Brother  Charles  Dies.  20i 

his  recovery,  and  expressing  his  own  deep  concern 
for  him.  He  urges  him  especially  to  "go  out  at 
least  an  hour  a  day.  I  would  not  blame  you  if  it 
were  two  or  three.  Never  mind  expense;  I  can 
make  that  up.  You  shall  not  die  to  save  charges." 
Afterward  he  wrote  to  Charles's  daughter,  Sally, 
and  to  Samuel  Bradburn,  then  stationed  in  Lon- 
don, suggesting  various  remedies  that  might  be  of 
use,  and  especially  that  all  should  join  in  fervent 
supplications  in  behalf  of  his  brother.  All  was  in 
vain,  and  on  March  29,  1788,  Charles  Wesley  died 
at  the  very  moment,  as  was  afterward  ascertained, 
that  his  brother  John  and  the  congregation  were 
singing  at  Shropshire : 

Come,  let  us  join  our  friends  above, 
That  have  obtained  the  prize. 

Wesley  did  not  know  of  his  death  till  April  4th, 
the  day  before  the  burial — through  the  misdirection 
of  the  letter  which  had  been  sent  to  inform  him  of 
the  event — and  was  unable  to  get  to  the  funeral. 
His  sorrow  was  deep,  though  he  said  little  about  it. 
A  fortnight  afterward,  when  at  Bolton,  he  attempt- 
ed to  give  out,  as  his  second  hymn,  the  one  begin- 
ning— 

Come,  O  thou  Traveler  unknown; 

but  when  he  came  to  the  words, 

My  company  before  is  gone, 
And  I  am  left  alone  with  thee, 
13=^' 


202  Life  of  John  Wedey. 

the  b(3reaved  old  man  sunk  beneath  emotion  that 
was  uncontrollable,  burst  into  a  flood  of  tears,  and 
sat  down  in  the  pulpit  and  hid  his  face  with  his 
hands.  The  crowded  congregation  were  touched 
deeply  at  the  sight,  singing  ceased,  and  tears  filled 
the  eyes  of  all.  At  length  Wesley  recovered  him- 
.self,  rose  again,  and  went  through  a  service  which 
was  never  foro;otten  by  those  who  were  present. 

The  following  is  the  obituary,  published  in  the 
Conference  Minutes: 

•'Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  who,  after  spending 
four-score  years  with  much  sorrow  and  pain,  quietly 
retired  into  Abraham's  bosom.  He  had  no  disease ; 
but  after  a  gradual  decay  of  some  months. 

The  weary  wheels  of  life  stood  still  at  last. 

His  least  praise  was  his  talent  for  poetry ;  although 
Dr.  Watts  did  not  scruple  to  say  that  that  single 
poem,  '  Wrestling  Jacob,'  was  worth  all  the  verses 
he  himself  had  written." 

Wesley  was  to  tarry  three  years  longer.  He  now 
himself  began  to  feel  some  tokens  of  decline.  He 
writes,  just  before  Charles's  death:  "I  find,  by  an 
increase  of  years,  (1)  less  activity — I  walk  slower, 
particularly  uphill ;  (2)  my  memory  is  not  so  quick ; 
(3)  I  cannot  read  so  well  by  candle-light;  but  I  bless 
God  that  all  my  other  powers  of  body  and  mind  re- 
main just  what  they  were."  Still  his  labors  did  not 
cease  to  the  last.     We  have  already  seen  soiue  ac- 


Yet  ill  Labors  Abundant.  203 

count  of  liis  work  up  to  1789.  The  same  spirit  and 
energy  continued  to  manifest  themselves  in  his  own 
acti  vity,  and  the  same  solicitude  and  watchfulness  for 
the  welfare  of  his  beloved  Ziou.  At  the  Conference 
of  1790,  the  last  that  he  attended,  he  made  further 
regulations  in  regard  to  the  work.  Charles  At- 
more  describes  him  at  this  time  as  follows:  "Mr. 
Wesley  apj^eared  very  feeble;  his  eyesight  had 
failed  so  much  that  he  could  not  see  to  give  out  his 
hymns,  yet  his  voice  was  strong,  his  spirit  remark 
ably  lively,  and  the  powers  of  his  mind  and  his 
love  toward  his  fellow-creatures  were  as  bright  and 
ardent  as  ever."  As  soon  as  the  Conference  was 
over  he  set  out  again  on  his  evangelistic  labors,  and 
spent  the  next  three  weeks  in  Wales;  thence  back 
again  to  Bristol,  where  he  spent  a  month ;  thence 
to  London,  and  thence  to  Rye,  to  Colchester,  to 
Yarmouth,  and  various  other  places,  traveling  and 
preaching  as  incessantly  as  ever.  Meantime  he 
continues  an  unceasing  guardianship  over  every  in- 
terest of  his  Master's  kingdom.  He  gives  direc- 
tions as  to  prayer-meetings,  that  none  should  be 
continued  later  than  nine  o'clock,  pai'ticularly  on 
Sunday,  etc.  He  "does  not  like  dividing  circuits." 
He  exhorts  the  people  to  give  attention  to  reading : 
"  It  cannot  be  that  the  people  should  grow  in  grace 
unless  they  give  themselves  to  reading.  A  reading 
people  will  always  be  a  knowing  people.  A  people 
who  talk  much  ^vilI  know  little.     Press  this  upon 


2U4  Lij'e  oj  John  Wedey. 

thcin  with  all  yoiu*  might,  and  you  will  soon  see 
the  fruit  of  your  labors."  He  fears  there  is  dan- 
ger fi'oiTi  lukewarmness  among  the  preachers,  and 
writes  to  Alexander  Mather:  "No,  Aleck,  no;  the 
danger  of  ruin  to  Methodism  does  not  lie  here.  It 
springs  from  quite  a  different  quarter.  Our  preach- 
ers are  many  of  them  fallen.  They  are  not  spirit- 
ual ;  they  are  not  alive  to  God.  They  are  soft,  en- 
ervated, fearful  of  shame,  toil,  hardship.  They 
have  not  the  spirit  which  God  gave  to  Thomas  Lee 
at  Pateley  Bridge,  or  to  you  at  Boston.  Give  me 
one  hundred  preachers  Avho  fear  nothing  but  sin 
and  desire  nothing  but  God,  and  I  care  not  a  straw 
whether  they  be  clergymen  or  layuien,  such  alone 
w  ill  shake  the  gates  of  hell  and  set  up  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  upon  earth." 

The  preaching  of  perfection  he  still  regarded  as 
of  the  utmost  importance.  He  says:  "This  doc- 
trine is  the  grand  deposition  which  God  has  lodged 
with  the  people  called  Methodists ;  and  for  the  sake 
of  propagating  this  chiefly  he  appeared  to  have 
1  aised  them  up."  In  this  connection  another  ex- 
Ij-act  is  worth  quoting:  "To  retain  the  grace  of 
God  is  much  more  than  to  gain  it.  Hardly  one  in 
three  does  this;  and  this  should  be  strongly  and  ex- 
l)licitly  urged  on  all  who  have  tasted  of  perfect  love." 

One  of  the  subjects  he  most  frequently  and 
strongly  dwelt  upon  in  his  last  days  was  the  danger 
of  rich  men,  and  their  duty  to  be  liberal.     In  1789, 


The  Grace  of  Liberality.  205 

in  addition  to  the  utterances  on  the  same  theme  he 
had  already  given  to  the  world,  he  published  his 
sermon  on  the  parable  of  the  rich,  man  and  Laza- 
rus, in  which  he  addresses  rich  Methodists:  "O 
liow  pitiable  is  your  condition !  And  who  is  able 
to  help  you?  You  need  more  plain  dealing  than 
any  men  in  the  world,  and  you  meet  with  less.  For 
how  few  dare  to  speak  as  plain  to  you  as  they  would 
to  one  of  your  servants!  .  .  .  O  that  God  would  give 
me  accejDtable  words,  and  cause  them  to  sink  deep 
into  your  hearts!  Many  of  you  have  known  me 
long — well-nigh  fi-om  your  infancy.  You  have 
frequently  helped  me  when  I  stood  in  need.  May 
I  not  say  you  loved  me?  But  now  the  time  of  our 
parting  is  at  hand ;  my  feet  are  just  stumbling  upon 
the  dark  mountains.  I  would  leave  one  word  with 
you  before  I  go  hence,  and  you  may  remember  it 
vhen  I  am  no  more  seen.  O  let  your  heart  be 
whole  with  God !  Seek  your  happiness  in  him  and 
him  alone.  Beware  that  you  cleave  not  to  the  dust ! 
This  earth  is  not  your  place.  See  that  you  use  this 
world  as  not  abusing  it;  use  the  world  and  enjoy 
God.  Sit  as  loose  to  all  things  here  below  as  if 
you  were  a  poor  beggar.  Be  a  good  steward  of  the 
manifold  gifts  of  God.'"' 

Again,  in  February,  1790,  he  wrote  a  sermon  on 
"  The  Rich  Fool ; "  in  July  afterward,  one  on  Jere- 
miah viii.  22,  on  "  Why  has  Christianity  done  so 
little  good  in  the  world?"  in  which  he  gives  it  as 


206  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

one  great  obstacle,  the  refusal  of  professing  Chris- 
tians to  give  as  they  should.  And  again  he  wrote 
another  sermon,  September  21,  on  the  text,  "If 
riches  increase,  set  not  your  heart  upon  them."  In 
these  last  sermons  he  again  and  again  enforces  the 
duty  of  giving  in  the  most  solemn  and  intensely 
anxious  manner.  "O  that  God  would  enable  me 
once  more,"  says  he,  "  before  I  go  hence  and  am  no 
more  seen,  to  lift  up  my  voice  like  a  trumpet  to 
those  who  gain  and  save  all  they  can,  but  do  not 
give  all  they  can.  Ye  are  the  men,  some  of  the 
chief  men,  who  continually  grieve  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  God,  and  in  a  great  measure  stop  his  gracious 
influence  from  descending  on  our  assemblies.  Many 
of  your  brethren,  beloved  of  God,  have  not  food 
to  eat ;  they  have  not  raiment  to  put  on ;  they  have 
not  a  place  where  to  lay  their  head.  And  why  are 
they  thus  distressed?  Because  you  impiously,  un- 
justly, and  cruelly  detain  from  them  what  your 
Master  and  theirs  lodges  in  your  hands  on  jjurpose 
to  supply  their  wants.  In  the  name  of  God,  what 
are  you  doing?  Do  you  neither  fear  God  nor  re- 
gard man?  Why  do  you  not  deal  your  bread  to 
the  hungry  and  cover  the  naked  with  a  garment? 
Have  you  laid  out  in  your  own  costly  apparel  what 
would  have  answered  both  these  intentions?  .  .  . 
This  idle  expense  has  no  approbation  either  from 
God  or  your  own  conscience.  But  you  say  you 
can  afford  it.     O  be  ashamed  to  take  such  miser 


Gam,  Save,  Give  All  You  Can.  207 

able  nonsense  into  your  mouths!  Never  more  ut- 
ter such  stupid  cant,  such  palpable  absurdity !  Can 
any  steward  afford  to  be  an  arrant  knave,  to  waste 
his  lord's  goods?  Can  any  servant  afford  to  lay  out 
his  master's  money  any  otherwise  than  his  master  ap- 
points him?  So  far  from  it  that  whoever  does  this 
ought  to  be  excluded  from  a  Christian  society.  I  am 
distressed.  I  know  not  what  to  do.  .  .  .  Is  there  no 
means  to  hinder  riches  destroying  the  religion  of 
those  that  possess  them  ?  I  can  see  only  one  possible 
way ;  find  out  another  who  can.  Do  you  gain  all  you 
can  and  save  all  you  can?  Then  you  must,  in  the 
nature  of  things,  grow  rich.  Then,  if  you  have 
any  desire  to  escape  the  damnation  of  hell,  give  all 
you  can;  otherwise  I  can  have  no  more  hope  of 
your  salvation  than  for  that  of  Judas  Iscariot.  I  call 
God  to  record  upon  my  soul  that  I  advise  no  more 
than  I  practice.  I  do,  blessed  be  God,  gain  and 
save  and  give  all  I  can ;  and  so,  I  trust  in  God,  I  shall 
do  while  the  breath  of  God  is  in  my  nostrils.  But 
what  then  ?  I  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excel- 
lency of  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  my  Lord.     Still, 

I  give  up  every  plea  beside ; 

Lord,  I  am  damned,  but  thou  bast  died." 

And  once  again,  in  a  sermon  written  Septembei 
25,  1789,  he  had  thus  adverted  to  one  especial  dan- 
ger attending  the  love  of  money :  "  How  great  is 
the  darkness  of  that  execrable  wretch  (I  can  give 
him  no  bet^^er  title,  be  he  rich  or  poor)  who  will 


208  Lije  of  John  Wesley. 


sell  his  own  child  to  the  devil ;  who  will  barter  her 
own  eternal  happiness  for  any  quantity  of  gold  or 
silver!     What  a  monster  would  any  man  be  ac- 
counted Avho  devoured  the  flesh  of  his   own  off- 
spring !     And  is  he  not  as  great  a  monster  who,  by 
his  own  act  and  deed,  gives  her  to  be  devoured  by 
that  roaring  lion? — as  he  certainly  does  (so  far  as 
is  in  his  power)  who  marries  her  to  an  ungodly 
man.     '  But  he  is  rich ;  he  has  £10,000.'     What  if 
it  were  £100,000?     The  more  the  worse;  the  less 
probability  will  she  have  of  escaping  the  damna- 
tion of  hell.     With  what  face  wilt  thou  look  upon 
her  when  she  tells  thee  in  the  realms  below :  '  Thou 
hast  plunged  me  into  this  place  of  torment.    Hadst 
thou    given    me  to  a  good  man,  however  poor,  I 
might  now  have  been  in  Abraham's  bosom.'    .    .    . 
Man,  woman,  think  what  you   are  about.     Dare 
you  also  sell  your  child  to  the  devil?    You  un- 
doubtedly do  this  (as  far  as  in  you  lies)  when  you 
marry  a  son  or  a  daughter  to  a  child  of  the  devil, 
though  it  be  one  that  wallows  in  gold  and  silver. 
O  take  warning  in  time!     Beware  of  the  gilded 
bait!     Death  and  hell  are  hid  beneath.     Prefer 
grace  before  gold  and  precious  stones;   glory  in 
heaven  to  riches  on  earth.     If  you  do  not,  you  are 
worse  than  the  very  Canaanites.     They  only  made 
their  children  pass  through  the  fire  to  Moloch ;  you 
make  yours  pass  into  the  fire  that  never  shall  be 
quenched,  and  to  stay  in  it  forever." 


A  Cotistant  Giver.  209 

It  was  no  idle  boast  of  Wesley's  that  what  he 
advised  in  this  respect  he  practiced.  He  left  no 
money  at  his  death  except  what  was  on  his  person 
or  in  his  bureau-diawer  at  Loudon,  though  he  had 
gained  large  sums  from  the  sale  of  his  books.  His 
biographer,  Mr.  Moore,  writes :  "  Mr.  Wesley's  ac- 
counts lie  before  me,  and  his  expenses  are  noted 
with  the  greatest  exactness.  Every  penny  is  re- 
corded, and  I  am  persuaded  the  supposed  £30,000 
[the  amount  another  had  estimated  he  had  given 
away  in  his  life-time]  might  be  increased  several 
thousand  more."  And  this  too  without  spending 
any  thing  scarcely  upon  himself.  From  his  ac- 
count-book, for  instance,  we  find  that  in  1782  he 
received  £361 19s.  into  his  own  hands.  Of  this  he 
spent  £5  19s.  for  clothes,  and  gave  all  the  rest  away 
himself;  and  besides  directed  his  book  agent,  John 
Atlay,  to  give  away  a  further  sum  of  £237  13s. — 
making  £593  13s.  for  the  year.  In  ]  783  he  gave 
away  in  the  same  way  £832  Is.  6d. ;  in  1784,  £534 
17s."6d.;  in  1785,  £851  12s.;  in  1786,  £738  5s.;  in 
1787,  including  his  traveling  expenses,  £961  4s. ; 
in  1788,  £738  4s.  At  the  end  of  his  accounts  for 
1789  he  writes:  "I  have  given  this  year  by  myself 
£206;  by  George  Whitefield,  £560;  traveling,  £60. 
But  I  can  be  accurate  no  [the  sentence  is  unfin- 
ished].    'Not  as  I  will,  but  as  Thou  wilt.' " 

The  faithful  steward  now  drew  near  to  render  up 
his  account.  October  6,  1790,  at  Rye,  beneath  an 
14 


210  Life  of  John  Wesley. 

ash-tree  in  the  church-yard,  he  preached  for  tlie 
last  time  in  the  open  air  from  "the  kingdom  of 
God  is  at  hand,"  etc.  An  eye-witness  writes :  "  The 
Avord  was  attended  with  mighty  power,  and  the 
tears  of  the  people  flowed  in  torrents."  On  the 
evening  of  the  same  day  he  preached  again  at  Rye. 
At  Colchester  soon  after,  he  found  the  society  "  less- 
ened and  cold  enough"  through  the  interference  of 
a  reverend  gentleman  who  had  used  his  utmost  en- 
deavors, and  even  made  use  of  gifts  and  bribes  to 
break  up  the  Methodist  society  there.  Wesley  was 
annoyed,  and  said  in  his  sermon:  "I  understand 
there  is  a  sheep-stealer  in  Colchester  who  takes  both 
sheej)  and  lambs  from  his  neighbor's  fold  at  will. 
Now,  I  charge  that  man  to  desist,  or  to  meet  me 
and  answer  for  his  deeds  at  the  bar  of  God  in  the 
day  of  judgment."  The  guilty  man  was  present; 
and  his  subsequent  conduct  showed  that  he  was  not 
a  forgetful  hearer.  One  of  his  hearers  thus  de- 
scribes his  appearance:  "He  stood  in  a  wide  pul- 
pit, and  on  each  side  of  him  stood  a  minister,  and 
the  two  held  him  up,  having  their  hands  under  his 
arm-pits.  His  feeble  voice  was  scarcely  audible ; 
but  his  reverend  countenance,  especially  his  long, 
white  locks,  formed  a  picture  never  to  be  forgotten. 
There  was  a  vast  crowd  of  lovers  and  admirers. 
It  was  for  the  most  part  a  pantomime,  but  the  pan- 
tomime went  to  the  heart.  Of  the  kind  I  never 
saw  any  thing  comparable  to  it  in  after  life."     Still 


Ill  His  Loved  Employ  to  the  Last.  21? 

he  traveled  and  preached  every  day.  At  Yar- 
mouth the  poet  Crabbe  heard  him,  and  was  greatly 
struck  with  the  reverend  appearance  of  the  aged 
preacher,  with  his  cheerful  air,  and  the  beautiful 
cadence  he  gave  to  some  lines  that  he  quoted ;  and 
after  the  sermon  was  introduced  to  him,  and  was 
received  with  benevolent  politeness. 

His  last  enti-y  in  his  published  journal  is  as  fol- 
lows: 

"Sunday,  October  24. — I  explained  to  a  numer- 
ous congregation  In  Spitalfield's  church  '  the  whole 
armor  of  God.'  St.  Paul,  Shadwells,  was  still  more 
crowded  in  the  afternoon  while  I  enforced  that  im- 
portant truth,  'One  thing  is  needful;*  and  I  hope 
many  even  then  resolved  to  choose  the  better  part." 

So  he  ended  the  year  1790.  The  new  year  saw  him 
still  laboring  in  his  loved  employ,  though  "in  age 
and  feebleness  extreme."  Besides  preaching,  he  wrote 
various  letters — letters  of  consolation  to  bereaved 
persons ;  of  direction  for  the  work  to  his  preachers ; 
of  instruction  to  inquiring  Christians.  Among 
them  was  one  to  Ezekiel  Cooper,  one  of  his  preach- 
ers in  America,  exhorting  him  to  "  lose  no  opportu- 
nity of  declaring  to  all  men  that  the  Methodists 
are  one  people  in  all  the  world."  The  last  sermon 
he  wrote  was  about  six  weeks  before  his  death,  on 
"  Faith  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen,"  though 
another,  on  "  Life  like  a  dream,"  was  being  printed 
on  .the  very  day  when  his  corpse  lay  in  City  Koad 


2J2  Life  of  John  Wedey. 


Chapel.  In  both  he  muses  deeply  upon  the  unseen 
and  spiritual  world  into  which  he  felt  he  must  soon 
enter.  Imagining  himself  already  a  disembodied 
spirit,  he  thus  soliloquizes:  "Now  that  your  eyes 
are  open,  see  how  inexpressibly  different  are  all  the 
things  that  are  now  around  you!  What  a  differ- 
ence do  you  perceive  in  yourself!  Where  is  your 
body?  your  house  of  clay?  Where  are  your  limbs? 
your  hands?  your  feet?  your  head?  There  they 
lie — cold,  insensible!  What  a  change  is  in  the  im- 
mortal spirit!"  And  again:  "  How  will  this  mate- 
rial universe  appear  to  a  disembodied  spirit?  Who 
can  tell  whether  any  of  these  objects  that  now  sur- 
round us  will  appear  the  same  as  they  do  now? 
What  astonishing  scenes  will  then  discover  them- 
s«,lves  to  our  newly  opening  senses!  .  .  .  Above  all, 
the  moment  we  step  into  eternity  shall  we  not  feel 
ourselves  swallowed  up  of  Him  who  is  in  this  and 
every  place,  who  filleth  heaven  and  earth?" 

He  was  soon  to  know.  On  Thursday,  February 
17,  1791,  he  preached  at  Lambeth.  Returning 
home,  he  seemed  unwell,  and  said  he  had  taken 
cold ;  but  on  Friday  read  and  wrote  as  usual,  and 
preached  at  Chelsea  in  the  evening  on  the  text, 
"The  king's  business  requireth  haste;"  but  once  or 
twice  was  compelled  to  stop  and  rest.  Saturday 
he  spent  principally  in  reading  and  writing.  On 
Sunday  he  rose  at  his  usual  hour,  but  had  to  lie 
down  again  at  seven  o'clock,  and  slept  above  three 


Nearing  the  Other  Shore.  213 

hours;  and  in  the  afternoon  he  had  to  go  to  bed 
again  and  sleep.  On  Monday  he  seemed  better, 
and  went  out  to  dine,  according  to  engagement; 
Tind  on  Tuesday  resumed  his  usual  work,  preaching 
at  City  Road  Chapel  from  the  text,  "  We  through 
the  Spirit  wait  for  the  hope  of  righteousness  by 
faith ; "  after  which  he  met  the  leaders.  On 
Wednesday  he  rose  at  four  o'clock  and  rode  eight- 
een miles  to  Leatherhead,  where  he  preached  foi 
the  last  time,  in  the  dining-room  of  a  magistrate, 
from  the  words,  "Seek  ye  the  Lord,  while  he  m?y 
be  found;  call  upon  him  while  he  is  near."  The 
next  day  he  rose  again  at  four,  and  passed  the  day 
with  his  old  friend  Mr.  Wolff,  at  Balham,  where 
he  was  cheerful,  and  seemed  nearly  as  well  as  usual 
and  wrote  his  last  letter — one  addressed  to  Mr. 
"Wilberforce,  encouraging  him  to  go  on  with  his 
work  in  opposition  to  slavery.  Next  day  he  came 
home,  and  became  so  unwell  that  the  doctor  was 
sent  for.  February  26,  27,  and  28,  his  strength 
gradually  declined.  Much  of  the  time  he  slept; 
at  intervals  he  would  awake,  and  could  be  heard 
saying  in  a  low,  distinct  voice:  "Christ  is  all!  he  is 
all!"  "There  is  no  way  into  the  holiest  but  by 
the  blood  of  Jesus  ;"  "  Ye  know  the  grace  of  oui 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  though  he  was  rich,  yet  foi 
your  sake  he  became  poor,  that  ye  through  his  pov- 
erty might  become  rich,"  etc.;  "That  is  the  foun- 
dation, the  only  foundation;  there  is  no  other  I" 


214  Life  of  John  Wesley. 


and  such  like  expressions.  On  March  1,  after  a 
restless  night,  being  asked  if  he  were  in  pain,  he 
said  "No,"  and  began  singing: 

"All  glory  to  God  in  tlie  sky, 

And  peace  ui)on  earth  be  restored!" 

But  after  singing  two  stanzas  his  strength  failed. 
"  I  want  to  write,"  said  he.  A  pen  was  put  into  his 
hand,  but  he  could  not  use  it.  "  Let  nie  write  for 
you,"  said  Miss  Ritchie;  "tell  me  what  you  wish 
to  say."  "Nothing,"  he  replied,  "  but  that  God  is 
with  us."  "  I  will  get  up,"  said  he;  and  while  his 
friends  were  arranging  his  clothes,  he  again  sung, 
"I'll  praise  my  Maker  while  I've  breath,"  etc., 
through  two  stanzas.  Once  more  seated  in  his 
chair,  he  said  in  a  weak  voice:  "  Lord,  thou  givest 
strength  to  those  that  can  speak,  and  to  those  that 
cannot.  Speak,  Lord,  to  all  our  hearts,  and  let 
them  know  that  thou  loosest  tongues ; "  and  again 
began  to  sing  his  last  song  on  earth : 

"To  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
Who  sweetly  all  agree." 

But  here  his  voice  failed,  and  after  gasping  for 
breath,  he  said:  "  Now  we  have  done;  let  us  all 
go."  Full  of  happiness,  but  utterly  exhausted,  he 
was  put  to  bed ;  when,  after  a  short  but  sweet  sleep, 
he  opened  his  eyes  and  said  to  the  weeping  friends 
around,  "  Pray  and  praise;"  and  of  course  they 
complied.     Then  he  gave  directions  about  his  fu- 


His  Ti-iinupha)it  Death.  215 

neral,  and  again  called  out,  "Pray  and  praise!"  and 
again  they  prayed  and  sung  praises  to  God.  They 
then  again  approached  his  bedside,  when  he  said 
with  the  utmost  placidity,  "Farewell,  farewell!" 
He  tried  to  speak,  but  they  could  not  make  out 
what  he  said,  except  that  he  wanted  his  sermon  on 
"The  love  of  God  to  fallen  man"  to  be  "scattered 
abroad  and  given  to  everybody."  Seeing  they 
could  not  understand  him,  he  paused;  and  then 
summoning  all  his  strength  exclaimed,  in  a  tone 
well-nigh  supernatural,  "The  best  of  all  is,  God  .? 
with  us!"  And  then  after  another  pause,  lifting 
his  arm  in  grateful  triumph,  he  reiterated,  "  The 
best  of  all  is,  God  is'  with  us!" 

Once  more  nature  was  exhausted.  His  siglit 
now  was  so  nearly  gone  that  he  was  unable  to  rec- 
ognize the  features  of  those  by  his  bedside.  "  Who 
are  these?" he  asked.  "Sir,"  said  Mr.  Rogers,  "  we 
are  come  to  rejoice  with  you;  you  are  going  to  re- 
ceive your  crown."  "This  is  the  Lord's  doing, 
and  it  is  marvelous  in  our  eyes,"  replied  Wesley. 
(Miai'les's  widow  having  come  to  see  him,  he  affec- 
tiimately  tried  to  kiss  her,  and  remarked,  "He 
giveth  his  servants  rest,"  She  wet  his  lips,  when 
he  repeated  his  usual  thanksgiving  after  meals: 
''  We  thank  thee,  O  Lord,  for  these  and  all  thy 
mercies.  Bless  the  Church  and  king,  and  grant  us 
truth  and  peace,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord, 
forever  and  ever ! "     Then  pausing  a  little,  he  cried. 


216  Life  of  John  Wesley. 


''The  clouds  drop  fatness!"  And  after  another 
pause:  "The  Lord  of  hosts  is  with  us!  the  God  of 
Jacob  is  our  refuge!  Pray  and  praise!"  And 
again  his  friends  fell  on  their  knees. 

Scores  of  times  during  the  night  he  repeated  the 
words,  "I'll  praise!  I'll  praise!"  but  could  say 
nothing  more.  Next  morning  a  few  minutes  be- 
fore ten,  Joseph  Bradford,  so  long  his  faithful  friend 
and  traveling  companion,  prayed  with  him.  "  Fare- 
well!" cried  Wesley — the  last  words  he  uttered — 
and  then,  Avhile  Bradford  was  saying,  "Lift  up 
your  heads,  O  ye  gates,  and  be  ye  lifted  up,  ye  ever- 
lasting doors,  and  this  heir  of  glory  shall  come  in ! " 
Wesley  gathered  up  his  feet  in  the  presence  of  nis 
brethren,  and  without  a  groan  or  a  sigh  was  gone. 
He  died  about  ten  o'clock  a.m.  Wednesday,  March 
2,  179L 

As  soon  as  he  was  dead,  his  friends  stood  about 
his  corpse — as  Wesley,  with  his  brothers  and  sisters, 
himself  had  done  about  their  mother's  body — and 
Bung: 

"  Waiting  to  receive  their  spirit, 

Lo!  the  Saviour  stands  above; 
Shows  the  purchase  of  his  merit, 

Reaches  out  the  crown  of  love." 

And  then  they  knelt  dow^n  and  prayed  that  his  man- 
tle might  rest  upon  his  followers.  His  remains 
were  interred  behind  the  chapel  in  City  Road  on 
the  9th  of  March,  at  5  o'clock  a.m. 


This  book  is  DUE  on  the  la&t 
date  stamped  below. 


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